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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.
A Hong Kong woman who sold throat lozenges on Carousell has lost nearly HK$650,000 after clicking on a phishing link sent in a fake email. Photo: Handout
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police receive over 40 reports of scams on Carousell in a week

Fraudsters use phishing links to cheat victims of HK$4.6 million, including seller of lozenges who lost nearly HK$650,000.

Trending in China

Chinese man invests in cattle online for profit, US$140,000 ends up as beef

Hong Kong courts

Hong Kong policeman admits hiding debts to cheat credit union out of HK$280,000

Malaysia

Malaysia’s home minister ridiculed after his WhatsApp account hacked

Critics question how Saifuddin Nasution can keep the country safe if he cannot even secure his own phone.

Malaysia Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. Photo: Facebook/Saifuddin Nasution Ismail
Trending in China

‘Blinded by love’ Chinese man spends most of US$4.5 million ill-gotten gains on lover

Police accuse ‘calculating’ yet frugal-living suspect of carrying out crime spree that had more than 70 victims.

Viral stories

Elderly Japanese woman loses US$345,000 in scam, joins gang who were ‘kind’ to her

Fleeced 72-year-old develops Stockholm syndrome after being conned by gang, decides to help fraudsters commit more crime.

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Cambodia

Cambodia is home to world’s most powerful criminal network: report

The network’s illegal activities threaten global economic and political stability, says Jacob Sims, a transnational crime expert.

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Scam suspects escorted by Chinese police officers in a flight from Cambodia last year. Photo: Xinhua
China’s crackdowns

China’s internet watchdog cracks down on false financial claims, stock touting

Top cybersecurity agency shuts down more than a dozen social media accounts amid growing concerns over finance influencers.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police arrest 9 in connection with HK$140,000 internship subsidy scam

Suspects comprise eight university students and alleged mastermind, who registered as company director.

Hong Kong housing

Editorial | Public needs answers on alleged corruption at Kowloon flats site

Hong Kong graft-buster investigates defects scandal at housing project where supervisors are suspected of accepting bribes.

The construction site of CK Asset’s Anderson Road project in Kwun Tong, which was found to not comply with approved building plans. Photo: Dickson Lee
Thailand

Do tourists face more scams in Bangkok? Report points to high rate of taxi fraud

The Thai capital was listed among cities where tourists report higher rates of scams, with taxi and car rental frauds the most common.

Tourists walk past a tuk tuk in a popular tourist area in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: EPA-EFE
Japan

Bar bill scams in Japan use dating apps to prey on disabled and lonely victims

In one case a visually impaired man was bilked out of almost US$5,000, with police warning many more have been similarly hit.

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Crime in Hong Kong

10 arrested in Hong Kong in bribery case centred on CK Asset housing project

ICAC alleges that subcontractors offered site supervisors perks in exchange for lax oversight of steel rebar work on Anderson Road project.

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong woman selling electric toothbrush online loses HK$800,000 in scam

Purported buyer gives her link to complete transaction and woman later realises money missing from her account.

The victim had listed the item on Carousell and was approached by a supposed buyer expressing interest. Photo: Handout
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong watchdog warns of new scam involving complaints from ‘neighbours’

Watchdog cites six cases in which fake complaints about water leakage or noise used to contact victims for private information.

Fraudsters claiming to be neighbours will first complain about water leakage or noise problems through text messages. Photo: Nora Tam
Crime in Hong Kong

Mainland bank in Hong Kong investigates unauthorised transactions on FPS platform

China Construction Bank (Asia) client says she lost HK$20,000 through FPS transfers, with experts suggesting hacking may be involved.

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police smash cross-border syndicate that laundered HK$118 million

Twelve arrested in operation as authorities seek tougher action on fraud-related cases involving renting or selling personal bank accounts.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police smash loan shark syndicate, arresting 24 including 12-year-old

Syndicate allegedly charged 5,000 borrowers interest rates of 100 per cent or more, police say.

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Hong Kong police seized HK$1.6 million in cash during a raid on the syndicate’s premises in Tsuen Wan. Photo: Handout
Vietnam

Vietnam’s Truong My Lan offers property empire to avoid death penalty

Property tycoon Truong My Lan has pledged to transform her undervalued assets into a “golden goose” to repay embezzled billions to escape the death penalty.

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Hong Kong courts

Hong Kong actress Rainky Wai granted bail in HK$5.8 million fraud case

Actress, also known as Lau Sin-wah, is accused of tricking shareholder into investing in now-defunct beauty centre, as well as misusing company funds.

Crime in Hong Kong

3 arrested in Hong Kong over HK$4 million London gold trading scam

Police say syndicate rented offices in bustling commercial districts to create the appearance of a professional investment firm.

Police seized phones, computers, smartphones, scripts, investment contracts, principal receipts and falsified investment records. Photo: SCMP
Trending in China

China teenage girl’s crying photo, stolen, misused on porn sites, sex arousal ads

‘Innocent’ 19-year-old thought to be ‘too beautiful when crying’ by internet users seeks redress, has ‘no idea what she did wrong’.

A young Chinese woman whose crying photograph was stolen and is being used on pornographic websites and in advertisements for sex products is battling to restore her reputation. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo/Jimu
Crime in Hong Kong

Fans of Hong Kong star Nicholas Tse report losses of HK$900,000 over ticket scams

Police say nearly 100 cases of online shopping scams linked to recent ‘Evolution Nic Live’ Kai Tak Stadium shows.

Myanmar

Myanmar-based warlord overseeing scam hub faces US sanctions

The US Treasury Department says the Karen National Army, run by Saw Chit Thu, is a ‘transnational criminal organisation’.

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France

Kidnapped father of crypto-millionaire freed in French police raid, 7 arrested

Suspects had chopped off one of the victim’s fingers and demanded between US$5.7 million and US$7.9 million from his son, authorities said.

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Physical representations of digital cryptocurrencies, displayed in February 2018 in Paris, France. Photo: Getty Image
Hong Kong courts

Ex-Hong Kong district councillor pleads not guilty to charges over HK$740,000 scam

Wong Chun-yeung charged over fraud syndicate that cheated nine people in ‘guess who I am’ phone scams in 2023.

Former Islands district councillor Wong Chun-yeung will be tried between March 9 and 18 of next year. Photo: Facebook/Wong Chun-yeung
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong hotel accounting manager jailed for 6 years over HK$26 million fraud

39-year-old used stolen funds from the Four Seasons Hotel to purchase a HK$5.88 million flat in Tseung Kwan O and luxury Porsche sports car.

Crime in Hong Kong

Man arrested in Hong Kong over scams involving impersonation of mainland police

20-year-old suspect allegedly targeted victims in at least eight telephone scams last month, swindling them out of HK$1.36 million.

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