Hong Kong police arrest 71 over stooge accounts linked to HK$214 million scams
Largest case involved senior director of multinational who transferred HK$134 million to criminals impersonating her company’s chief executive
Hong Kong police have arrested 71 people for operating stooge accounts used by scammers, with the largest case involving a senior director at a multinational company who was defrauded of HK$134 million after transferring the funds to criminals impersonating his chief executive.
Inspector Tsang Kin-wa of the Hong Kong Island regional technology and financial crime unit said the force had conducted a crackdown on scams and money laundering between January 12 and 26, uncovering 69 cases, with total losses exceeding HK$214 million.
“Recently, scammers have also impersonated customer service staff from telecommunications firms and media platforms, falsely claiming that victims had subscribed to expensive monthly or annual plans,” Tsang said.
He added that the scammers would request victims’ bank details for supposed cancellations, before transferring funds from those accounts.
Under the operation, officers on Hong Kong Island arrested 46 men and 25 women, aged 14 to 65, on suspicion of money laundering through stooge accounts.
Those arrested included students, homemakers, construction workers and security guards.