Hong Kong records HK$3.6 billion in cybercrime losses as hackers turn to AI
Despite fewer cases in first seven months of 2025, losses have risen 18 per cent year-on-year, driven by AI-enhanced targeting of victims
Hong Kong police recorded HK$3.6 billion (US$463 million) in technology crime losses in the first seven months of 2025, an 18 per cent increase year-on-year despite a decrease in the number of cases, as cybercriminals become more adept at identifying high-value targets using artificial intelligence.
Rachel Hui Yee-wai, superintendent at the force’s cyber security and technology crime bureau, said a similar trend was evident in hacking cases, where the amount of money lost had risen more than elevenfold, even though the number of cases had fallen.
In the first seven months of this year, police recorded 19,080 cases of technology crimes, a 0.9 per cent decrease from the 19,257 cases recorded in the same period in 2024.
However, the financial losses increased by 18.4 per cent to HK$3.639 billion in 2025, compared with HK$3.075 billion in 2024.
A comparable trend was observed in hacking cases during the same period, where police recorded 24 cases, a 35 per cent decrease compared with the first seven months of 2024.
The amount lost rose to HK$39.4 million from HK$3.4 million last year – an increase of more than 11 times.