Hong Kong phone scam cases drop in first quarter but losses quadruple to HK$789 million, with more mainland Chinese students among victims

City logs 21 per cent fewer cases in first quarter against same period last year, but losses increase from HK$195 million to HK$789 million

Police say more mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong falling victim, with amounts swindled often higher

2-MIN READ2-MIN

A tourist from mainland China plays an anti-scam game at a police publicity vehicle. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Published: 9:00am, 13 May 2024

The number of phone scam cases in Hong Kong dropped in the first quarter compared with the same period last year although losses quadrupled to HK$789 million (US$101 million), with more mainland Chinese students in the city falling victim.

Police said the city logged 21 per cent fewer cases at 474 in the first three months year on year. But the amount of funds swindled out of victims had increased markedly from the HK$195 million lost in the first quarter of 2023.

Swindlers pretending to be government or company officials were responsible for 96 per cent, or HK$760 million, of the amount lost in the period this year.

“Although cases using such tactics only take up about 35 per cent of total phone scam cases, the losses tend to be much greater,” said Senior Inspector Lam Pui-hang of the force’s intelligence gathering and scam response team.

He said the number of mainland students in Hong Kong falling victim to such scams had also increased from 29 in the first quarter last year to 39 in the latest period.

One 18-year-old victim, who only identified herself as “Chen” was one of the most recent cases.