A police source told the Post scammers could make more money by using phone calls and text messages to swindle victims, instead of using a gun to rob a bank.

The chances of arrest were also lower for scammers who could work anonymously and remotely from anywhere in the world, as they tricked victims into handing over their personal information, bank details or money.

“In contrast, robbers face a higher risk of arrest, especially if they run into the police on the street,” the source said.

More than 70 per cent of last year’s deception cases were internet related, with 22,797 reports of technology crime resulting in reported losses of HK$3.2 billion (US$407.7 million).

Here are the most common types of deception used in Hong Kong, and some of the biggest losers reported in recent years.

1. On the phone: ‘You’re in trouble’

Over six months from August 2020 to January 2021, a 90-year-old woman received phone calls from people claiming to be mainland Chinese officials.

They said her identity had been used in a serious criminal case on the mainland and she would have to hand over the money for “asset investigation” or face the music.

She told police that she lost HK$250 million, the single largest phone scam reported in Hong Kong.

90-year-old woman conned out of US$32 million in Hong Kong’s biggest phone scam

The woman lived in a mansion at The Peak, an exclusive neighbourhood where some of Hong Kong’s wealthiest have their homes.

The fake-official trick is one of the three most common phone scams. Callers pretending to be mainland security officers accuse their victims of breaking the law there, then demand cash or bank details.

Bogus kidnappings are another common phone scam. Callers claim someone close to the victim has been kidnapped and demand a ransom.

Then there is the con man who calls and says: “Guess who I am?” Impersonating a relative usually, the scammer goes on to tell a story and ask for money.

Phone scammers cheated victims out of more than HK$1 billion in 2,831 cases last year alone.

2. Investments: ‘Want to make big money, fast?’

Prominent Chinese antiques collector Kot See-for reported that he was swindled out of HK$580 million in the city’s biggest gold bullion scam over two years from 2016.

He responded to a cold call from fraudsters who persuaded him to invest in gold. Although his investments grew initially, he soon began suffering losses. He was then tricked into putting even more into the scheme, sometimes using expensive antiques to cover his losses.

His case came to light in January in 2019 when police rounded up 14 people in a scam involving gold traded on the London commodities market. Kot was one of the seven investors who collectively lost nearly HK$620 million.

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Swindlers usually lure their victims offering investments with low risks and high returns. However, most of the investment plans do not exist. Some fraudsters falsify transaction records to show gains, tricking victims into investing even more.

In recent years, victims have been tricked into setting up accounts on bogus trading websites or apps to invest in cryptocurrency. The fraudsters dished out fake information such as rising cryptocurrency prices and profits on the websites.

Known as the “pig-butchering scam”, victims can make small profits before being tricked into investing even more before they end up suffering huge losses, according to the police.

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Investment scammers pocketed HK$926 million in 1,884 cases reported last year.

3. Online romance: ‘Will you be mine?’

Bogus online lovers cheated 1,533 victims out of HK$697 million last year. In all cases, the victims – both women and men – were convinced they were in a relationship with fraudsters they had never met.

Tricksters usually befriend potential victims over internet platforms and dating apps. Posing as professionals, they take their time to charm their victims with sweet talk and send messages that show how much they care.

Once their “romantic relationship” is established – entirely online – the swindlers dupe their victims into sending them money by describing some urgent situation overseas.

In August in 2018, a 66-year-old businesswoman told the police she had lost HK$180 million over four years to a bogus online lover she thought was an engineer from Britain. She remains the city’s biggest known victim of an internet love scam.

Swindlers have been known to change tactics, combining online romance with sob stories of illness sometimes, or leading victims to investment scams.

In January, a 51-year-old woman told police that her online lover had swindled her of HK$9.6 million after claiming to be terminally ill with cancer.

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She believed he was a Korean engineer working in Poland, and handed over the money when he said he needed it for a lung transplant or he would die.

In February, a 63-year-old investment manager reported that he lost HK$12.8 million inherited from his late father after falling for an online lover.

The swindler claimed to be a female cryptocurrency investment expert and got him to set up an account on a bogus trading website.

In March, an Italian financial consultant in Hong Kong told police that he lost more than HK$14 million after his online lover persuaded him to invest in cryptocurrency.

4. Jobs: ‘Very easy, start work today’

Hong Kong has seen a rising number of jobseekers falling victim to scammers offering easy commissions for helping to boost the sales of online shops, a practice known as click farming.

This type of scam pushed the overall number of online job fraud cases to 2,884 last year, with reported losses of HK$459 million, more than four times the HK$85 million swindlers pocketed in 1,063 cases in 2021.

5 Hongkongers conned out of HK$1.8 million in click farming job scam

Swindlers usually send fake job offers through SMS or instant messaging, promising cash rewards for e-shopping.

Victims are told that their mission is to boost the sales and popularity of a retail outlet by using their own money to shop online, with the promise of earning a commission.

They realise they have been conned when they do not get their money back and the scammers vanish.

A police source said that job scammers offered easy money without requiring specific qualifications or work experience.

“Members of the public should verify the identity of anyone who contacts them and be cautious of any offers that seem too good to be true,” he said.

5. E-shopping: ‘Special offer, you want?’

Swindlers attract online shoppers with gimmicks such as limited offers, sales or overseas purchasing services and buyers are told to transfer money into designated accounts.

The scams involve everything from electronic devices to handbags, concert tickets and even mooncakes.

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After the victims make their payment, the goods are not delivered and the bogus vendors become uncontactable.

Other fraudsters pose as online shoppers to cheat sellers into delivering various products. After receiving their purchases, they disappear.

There were 8,735 reports of e-shopping fraud last year with total losses of HK$74.1 million.

6. Help is available: call 18222

The police reminded people to be vigilant when making friends online and be wary of unsolicited phone calls or messages asking for personal information or money.

To combat online and phone fraud, the force introduced the “Scameter” search engine last September, where people can go for help to spot scams.

The police anti-scam helpline 18222 also offers advice.

Hong Kong police say anti-scam site blocks HK$400 million in public losses

Police Commissioner Raymond Siu Chak-yee said on the force’s website earlier this year that most people did not believe they would be scammed and did not pay attention to anti-scam publicity and that was partly why so many had fallen victim.

“You may fall prey to scams regardless of who you are, your educational background or status,” he said. “Most importantly, you should do fact-checking discretely and don’t be greedy for petty gains!”