In a concerning sign of the times, a recent survey has uncovered an epidemic of scams sweeping through Hong Kong, with more than 90% of residents reporting suspected fraud encounters and a third falling victim to such schemes.
The survey, conducted jointly by Sing Tao Daily and the Hong Kong police, polled 10,006 people between August 30 and September 9. The findings paint a troubling picture of the scam crisis gripping the city.
According to the results, a staggering 43% of respondents indicated they had encountered suspected fraud on six or more occasions in the past month, while 10% reported facing such scenarios 20 times or more.
Fraudulent phone calls emerged as the most prevalent form of scam at 39%, followed by emails at 23% and online shopping scams at 10%.
Worryingly, the survey revealed that one-third of respondents or their friends and family members had fallen victim to these deceptions, with over 80% losing HK$100,000 or less, and 1.6% suffering losses exceeding HK$1 million.
“The three most common types of scam in Hong Kong are online shopping and online investment scams and cases involving those impersonating customer services,” said Felton Leung Yee-tak, chief inspector of the police Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau.
The police’s Scameter app, designed to combat such fraud, has seen a surge in popularity, recording 570,000 downloads and 4.8 million searches, with more than 170,000 suspicious calls and 15,000 suspicious websites reported.
Nearly 90% of Scameter users found the app helpful in preventing fraud, with its “Call Alert” and risk assessment features proving most effective.
“The Scameter is a powerful and reliable fact-checking tool,” Leung said, urging the public to be cautious when providing personal information or making remittances, and to cross-check credibility from multiple sources.
As the scam crisis continues to escalate, Hong Kong authorities are working tirelessly to empower residents with the knowledge and tools to navigate this treacherous landscape and protect themselves from the growing wave of financial predators.
