Phone scams have been so widely publicised in Hong Kong that it would seem unthinkable for anyone to still fall for them. Unfortunately, the gullibility of victims knows no bounds, as reflected in the sorry tale that saw a 90-year-old woman conned out of more than HK$250 million (US$32.2 million) by fraudsters impersonating mainland public security officials. The city’s biggest yet recorded case is a reminder that there are always those who are less vigilant and more vulnerable, and society suffers as a whole if the problem is not checked. That the latest episode involved the same old trick says much about human nature. The victim, who lives in a mansion on The Peak, was told her identity was used in a serious criminal case on the mainland and told to transfer money into designated accounts so authorities could verify whether it was the proceeds of crime. What set it apart is that it happened during the height of the Covid-19 epidemic. From last August to January, she lost HK$254.9 million in 11 transactions. On one occasion, one of the con artists accompanied her to the bank. She was also given a mobile phone to help her communicate by a 19-year-old university student, who was arrested late last month. He was reportedly also a victim of the scam. The perpetuation of such frauds is attributed to technological advances and sophisticated skills. But it also means that the warning to be vigilant is not always getting through. While the digital age has revolutionised deception and made people more vulnerable to tech-savvy predators, sometimes it just takes a simple phone call and some intimidation tactics to net a victim. The elderly woman was said to be unaware of such scams, and again that raises questions over the effectiveness of public education and publicity over the years. The prolonged pandemic has apparently made scams a growth industry, with more people confined at home targeted by con artists from overseas. In 2020, police handled 1,193 cases of phone scams in which swindlers netted a total of HK$574 million. 90-year-old woman living in mansion on The Peak conned out of US$32 million If the trend in the first quarter of this year is any guide, there may well be more cases to follow. The authorities need to step up cross-jurisdiction liaison and enforcement. Banks, family and friends should also stay alert to help protect the vulnerable.