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Scams and swindles

Scams and swindles
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Scams and swindles. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
The scheme generally revolved around fixers recruiting players with the promise of a big payment in exchange for purposefully underperforming during a game. Photo: AP
United States

US charges 26 people with rigging college, Chinese basketball games

Prosecutors said the scheme involved 39 players, millions of dollars in wagers on fixed games and hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.

Hong Kong society

Editorial | Hong Kong’s victims of online scams need psychological safety nets

Cambodia

‘Not the end’: Cambodia keeps up scam crackdown after Chen Zhi sent to China

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Singapore

Caucasian ‘sugar daddy’ sextortion scam lands Malaysian in Singapore jail

Rajwant Singh Gill Narajan Singh was sentenced to 12 years in jail for pretending to be a rich white man and coercing women into sex.

People take pictures next to the Merlion statue at the Marina Bay waterfront in Singapore. Photo: AFP
Trending in China

China teen makes bogus returns on cosmetics platform, profiting US$570,000 from resale

17-year-old makes 11,900 deceptive refund applications after discovering loophole; splurges ill-gotten gains on new mobile phones, friends.

Thailand

Suspected scam boss linked to South Korean student’s death arrested in Thailand

The arrest follows international outrage over the killing of the university student, which led to a joint Thai–South Korean investigation.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Online shopping scams cost Hongkongers HK$14 million in first week of 2026

Police urge caution among consumers and sellers after receiving 276 reports of online shopping fraud last week.

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The cases and losses reported last week marked a significant increase from the 230 reports and more than HK$5.7 million lost in the final week of 2025. Photo: Getty Images
Hong Kong society

31% of scam victims calling Hong Kong helpline had possible suicidal tendencies

Caritas Family Crisis Support Centre says its hotline service handled 3,983 debt-related cases in 2025.

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Trending in China

China wife shocked that ‘People’s Armed Police officer’ husband is convicted killer

‘Disgusted’ wife of fraudster introduced to her by an uncle discovers that he is serving a suspended death sentence; has child with another woman.

Crime

Editorial | Regional cooperation led to arrest of alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi

The cross-border nature of his alleged criminal network required governments and law enforcement agencies to work together.

This undated photo shows Chen Zhi (centre), who is accused of running a crime network from Cambodia, amid his extradition to China. Photo: Handout
Crime in Hong Kong

8 arrested over attempting to defraud HK$8.24 million from Hong Kong scheme

Suspects include five members of family believed to be swindle’s mastermind, with group allegedly targeting scheme supporting tech skills.

Several laptops were seized as part of the investigations. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong police

Editorial | Interpol meet will enable Hong Kong to bolster global crime-fighting ties

As host of Interpol’s 94th general assembly, the city will be able to show that its ‘superconnector’ role extends to international law enforcement.

Crime in Hong Kong

19 Pokemon cards worth HK$200,000 snatched from Hong Kong seller during deal

Seller handed over cards to young man to check them, but the suspect ran off with them and vanished, police say.

Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Hong Kong’s anti-scam service a prudent way to make banking more secure

Law enforcement and banks must work together to keep Hongkongers’ money safe and their transactions secure.

People use automated teller machines in Central on August 4, 2024. Photo: Eugene Lee
Myanmar

Asian Angle | How uneven borders fuel Myanmar’s vast and resilient scam economy

Fieldwork along the borders of China and Thailand reveals how uneven controls allow fraud networks to thrive despite crackdowns.

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Advertisements for gambling sites and what appears to be Starlink satellite dishes on the roofs of buildings at the notorious KK Park complex in Myanmar’s eastern Myawaddy township, as pictured from Mae Sot district in Thailand’s border province of Tak, on September 17. Photo: AFP
Thailand

Thai fortune-teller arrested after allegedly fulfilling his own bad luck prophecy

Police in Pattaya arrested the man after a teenager reported her iPhone missing following a fortune-telling session outside a temple.

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Hong Kong economy

All Hong Kong retail banks to offer anti-scam service, locking cash in accounts

‘Money Safe’ users will have to meet a bank employee to undergo verification process to ensure their funds are not going to scammers.

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Crime

Mile-high crime club: theft syndicates target Asia’s airlines

Experts say rising passenger volumes, including an influx of Chinese travellers amid visa-free schemes, have attracted gangs operating in the skies.

A man was jailed for 20 months for stealing luggage on a Singapore Airlines flight from Dubai to the city state. Photo: AFP
Crime in Hong Kong

Editorial | Vigilance essential as Hongkongers hit by more online scams

The authorities must take the breach of the eMPF platform seriously, rectify the underlying vulnerabilities and restore confidence in the electronic system.

Thailand

From PM purge to border bombs: Thailand’s year of upheaval

As the country mourns the loss of Queen Mother Sirikit amid political chaos and a sluggish economy, Lisa’s global reign lights up Thai public.

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Malaysia

With 1MDB verdict due, will Malaysia’s Najib have to ‘prepare for the worst’?

The High Court will rule on abuse of power and money laundering charges, with Najib facing the prospect of lengthy prison terms if found guilty.

Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak attends the verdict of his house arrest bid at Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in Malaysia on Monday. Photo: Reuters
Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF)

Video | Hongkongers urged to use eMPF to ward off scams

The advice comes with a warning about the recent theft of HK$1.8 million from three MPF accounts by scammers using high-quality ID forgeries.

Hongkongers urged to sign up for eMPF platform as defence against scams
Hong Kong society

Hongkongers urged to quickly sign up for eMPF platform as defence against scams

Cybersecurity experts call on residents to move quickly after HK$1.8 million stolen from three MPF accounts.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong online investment scams surge 20% as losses hit HK$3.08 billion

80 per cent of all fraudulent messages disseminated through Meta-owned platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.

US-China relations

China showcases joint effort with US in drugs-related money laundering case

Case spanning both nations saw two men sentenced to jail following US tip-off, People’s Daily reports.

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A court in northern China has sentenced two men to prison and fined them for “illegal trading of foreign exchange and disrupting the financial market order”, according to Chinese state media. Photo: dpa
Malaysia

31 Malaysians repatriated from Myanmar job scam syndicate

The job scam victims rescued from a Myawaddy job syndicate return home safely after intensive diplomatic negotiations and a 26-hour land journey.

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People from China, Vietnam, and Ethiopia – believed trafficked and forced to work in scam centers – sit masked in detention after their February release in Myawaddy, eastern Myanmar. Photo: AP
Singapore

Singapore cracks down on scammers with mandatory caning

The new law with tougher penalties for fraud syndicates and money mules to fight rising cybercrime takes effect December 30.

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Malaysia

Malaysian woman loses US$293,000 after hiring ‘anti-scam’ firm to recoup US$366

Malaysian scam victims are being targeted again by fraudsters posing as legal experts who promise high recovery rates.

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