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Hong Kong arrests 61 phone scam suspects as losses jump
Police recorded 3,766 phone scam cases from January to May 2026, with losses totaling HK$720 million, up 66% year over year.
Hong Kong police say they have arrested 61 suspects in a crackdown on phone scams after the number of cases recorded in the first five months of 2026 rose 46% year over year.
According to the South China Morning Post, the operation, code-named “Pebblepace,” focused on 54 phone scam cases and targeted tactics including scammers using “guess who I am.” Authorities said the arrested people, aged 17 to 82, were held on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud, obtaining property by deception, and money laundering.
Police Chief Inspector Ho Ming-wai said 3,766 phone scam cases were recorded from January to May this year, involving losses of HK$720 million, a 66% increase in financial losses year over year. Ten of the cases involved 22 elderly residents who were contacted by scammers posing as relatives requesting bail money or medical fees and instructed victims to hand over cash in person.
Ho added that scammers posing as customer service representatives were the most common tactic, accounting for 40% of cases. She also cited an example of a 56-year-old man tricked into transferring HK$3 million after a fraudster claimed to have bought an insurance policy from him.