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Hong Kong police seize HK$3.67m in crackdown on phone scam syndicate
Police linked the operation to “guess who I am” calls that duped 22 victims out of about HK$2.5 million from June to August, with the biggest single loss at HK$700,000.
Hong Kong police say they have arrested 17 people and seized HK$3.67 million as part of a crackdown on a fraud syndicate that allegedly used foreign runners from Malaysia to collect scam proceeds. The force’s Kowloon West crime squad said the arrests are connected to “guess who I am” phone scams.
Police said 22 victims were duped out of about HK$2.5 million between June and August, and that the single largest loss was HK$700,000. The schemes typically involved scammers calling victims and impersonating relatives or friends to request quick cash over claims of bogus arrests or emergencies.
According to SCMP Economy, police said the syndicate recruited runners from Malaysia to collect cash directly from victims and take it to three transit points. Officers added that the runners were offered HK$500 to HK$1,000 a day, with flights and accommodation covered.
SCMP Economy reported that, following an investigation, police arrested 12 Malaysian men aged 20 to 48 on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud over the past two months. Senior Inspector Ng Yin-pak said victims who were visited at their door were still unaware they had been scammed and believed the money they handed over had been paid to police for bail.