Advertisement

Conmen sold pills to 'cure' Y2K bug

Reading Time:1 minute
Why you can trust SCMP
Clifford Lo

Conmen who claimed the millennium bug could be cured with stomach pills cheated two women out of $160,000 in Kwun Tong and Aberdeen yesterday.

The first victim was in Hong Ning Road playground, Kwun Tong, at 11am when two men approached, claiming to be computer experts.

They showed her pills they said could tackle the computer bug and suggested she could make a lot of money by buying and then re-selling them.

Advertisement

The 43-year-old woman went to a bank, withdrew $120,000 and bought 430 tablets from the pair, who told her to wait for a buyer outside a Jockey Club betting centre in Kalok Street.

When no one wanted to buy them, the woman called police and discovered the pills were for stomach pain.

Advertisement

A police officer said the woman apparently did not know if the millennium bug was a computer fault or human infection.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x