▲Click above to subscribe 点击上方蓝字关注我们
Hong Kong police have foiled a “guess who I am” phone scam, arresting two men hired by a fraud syndicate and preventing an elderly woman from losing HK$100,000 (US$12,740).
Chief Inspector Ma Suet-yiu of the force’s Western district on Wednesday said the arrests were made after the 78-year-old woman received a phone call from a scammer impersonating her son on Monday.
The fraudster claimed he was in police custody for a criminal case and asked for HK$100,000 in bail money. He told her that someone would come to her home to collect the cash.
“At first, the victim believed the story. But while preparing the money, she calmed down and grew suspicious. After confirming with her family, she realised it was a scam and immediately contacted police,” Ma said.
Acting on intelligence analysis, officers from Western district’s criminal investigation unit and task force staked out the woman’s home in Sai Wan and arrested two men as they arrived to collect the money.
Ma said the elderly woman did not suffer any monetary losses.
The two men, both 28, had entered Hong Kong from the mainland on two-way permits. One identified himself as a salesperson and the other as a factory worker, while both claimed they did not know each other before being hired to carry out the scam.
“They admitted they were recruited by a fraud syndicate after seeing an online advertisement promising 1,000 to 2,000 yuan [US$140 to US$280] for ‘quick money’,” the chief inspector said.
The men have each been provisionally charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud. The case will be brought before Eastern Court on Thursday morning for mention.
The force said the incident marked the second time in two months that Western district police have foiled a phone scam involving in-person cash collection.
“Police will absolutely not ask residents to pay bail or any other fees to non-police personnel in any form. The police have also noticed that these types of scams generally target elderly people with less vigilance,” Ma said.
“Victims are usually aware that phone scams exist, but are scammed in a moment of panic because they are worried about the safety of their family members.”
She said even if it was a call from a relative or friend, as long as a transfer or a request for money was mentioned, residents must verify the identity of the caller in person or through a video call.
*The opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author.*
GBA Community: Sharing news, hot topics, fun, job opportunities...
外语圈：BAFLA's Chinese channel 中文频道
add to communicate or join groups
Foreign Tips