New Hong Kong scams using bogus online customer service staff cheat people out of RM114mil in less than five months

Police say scam technique an ‘increasing trend’, with HK$4.16mil the biggest single loss logged. Officers warn of ‘new defrauding trick’ and appeal to people to be on alert and contact banks or stores if they have any doubts. — SCMP

Fraudsters posing as customer support staff at online service platforms have swindled Hongkongers out of about HK$190mil (RM114mil or US$24.3mil) since January, with police saying they have spotted an increase in cases.

Chief Inspector Wan Pui-yee, from the force’s Anti-Deception Coordination Centre, said officers had logged 583 cases of fraudulent customer support calls up to mid-May, with HK$4.16mil (RM2.50mil) the largest single loss.