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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.
Hong Kong recorded 43,212 crimes last year, nearly half of which were deception cases. Photo: Getty Images
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong woman loses HK$4.9 million to bogus online ‘investment experts’

Victim lured by social media advertisement promising high-return stock investments, police say.

Financial crime

Hot tips, cold reality: China targets online stock scams luring novice investors

Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Hong Kong taxpayers deserve clarity on Covid-era SME loan scheme

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong taxpayers face HK$28 billion Covid bad-loan burden from SMEs

Of 67,189 applications approved under government’s Special 100% Loan Guarantee Scheme, 13,231 had defaulted by end of February.

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The SME Financing Guarantee Scheme is managed by HKMC Insurance, a subsidiary of the government-owned Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation. Photo: Nora Tam
Crime in Hong Kong

Hongkonger arrested on suspicion of underage sex and scamming girls of HK$33,000

Suspect told girls they could earn money with ‘compensated dating’, only for him to have sex with them and extract cash using excuses, police say.

Crime in Hong Kong

Number of phishing cases drops in Hong Kong but victims lose more money

Police urge public to be vigilant after separate exercise finds 13 per cent of workers clicked on phishing email links sent as a test.

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Singapore

Singapore drama sparks Malaysian ire over scam hub depiction

Mediacorp defended ‘Highway to Somewhere’ against criticism, saying the show raises scam awareness and highlights Malaysia’s beauty.

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“Highway to Somewhere” was filmed in various locations in Malaysia, including Ipoh. Photo: Shutterstock
Southeast Asia forced-labour scams

Video | Inside a scam centre on the Cambodia-Thailand border

The town-sized O’Smach Resort complex, which once housed 29 scam companies, occupies roughly 80 hectares (197 acres).

Thailand

Thailand seizes US$260 million from scammers in ‘decisive’ crackdown

The latest seizure includes cash, cars and bank deposits, bringing the total value of assets confiscated to more US$620 million.

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Hong Kong courts

Cook jailed for 11 months over selling account used to dupe Tai Po fire donors

Cham Shu-shing also fined HK$4,500 for selling Alipay digital wallet to scammers, knowing it would be used for illegal purposes.

The West Kowloon Court building. The defence said Cham Shu-shing, a father of one, was unemployed at the time of the crime and needed to earn quick cash. Photo: Jelly Tse
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong car owner loses HK$500,000 in fuel membership card scam

Fraudsters exploit surging fuel prices by offering bogus prepaid petrol card deals, police say.

The scammers promised discounts through prepaid petrol cards and lured the victim into making immediate purchases, police say. Photo: Sam Tsang
Cambodia

Why Cambodia’s new law may do little to combat its scam centres

Analysts warn the lack of provisions addressing the role officials and networks play in enabling scams may limit the law’s effectiveness.

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Cambodia

Opinion | To beat Cambodia’s scam gangs, US must work with China – not blame it

Taking down the deeply rooted, well-connected syndicates would require both Washington’s economic leverage and Beijing’s operational efforts.

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Chinese Basketball Association

Chinese basketballer Guo Ailun reportedly lost 10 million yuan in investing scam

Guo and his family are allegedly victims of large-scale fraud perpetrated by a close friend, a mainland sports media outlet reports.

Guo Ailun (right) in action for China in 2022, has filed a report with public security authorities in Shenyang in Liaoning province. Photo: AFP
Crime in Hong Kong

Warning issued after university student loses HK$190,000 in internship scam

Police say fraudsters held 40-minute online orientation and communicated with victim entirely in English.

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Police have advised students to verify job offers directly with companies. Photo: Jonathan Wong
China-Asean relations

Cambodia’s high-stakes war on online scam compounds

Cambodia has vowed to stamp out the scam compounds on its soil by month’s end – but perpetrators remain drawn to the potential for huge profits.

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Singapore

50,000 scam calls in 50 minutes drain US$1.2 million from Singapore victims

A Malaysian man hired by a gang, who set up the devices at a flat in the city state, was sentenced to jail for five years and three months.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong woman loses HK$2.5 million in online collagen drinks scam

Victim tried to buy collagen drinks for HK$530 but was told the goods were out of stock and was offered refund.

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The victim saw a Facebook post advertising collagen drinks and transferred HK$530. Photo: Getty Images
Crime in Hong Kong

ICAC arrests 10 over using triad links to win HK$160 million renovation project

Operation by ICAC also led police to arrest 32 individuals in raids on premises believed to be controlled by bid-rigging syndicate’s triad elements.

Hong Kong courts

10 defendants remanded in custody in JPEX cryptocurrency fraud case

Hong Kong magistrate rejects bail requests from four men and six women.

Crime in Hong Kong

Police charge another 10 people over HK$1.6 billion JPEX cryptocurrency scandal

Four men and six women charged after police investigations identify abnormal transactions in suspicious accounts linked to case.

More than 2,700 people fell victim to the alleged JPEX scam. Photo: Handout
Trending in China

How China influencer gets US$14 million revenue monthly selling US$10 beauty items

‘Electric daughter’ live-streamer who sells cosmetics to customers she calls ‘Godmothers’ sparks controversy with face cream pricing scam.

A online influencer in China has successfully marketed cheap beauty products for the elderly by tapping into the concept of filial piety. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin
Crime in Hong Kong

13 arrested over HK$113 million laundered using government’s ‘iAM Smart’ app

Nine men and four women accused of using government app to funnel money through victims’ bank accounts.

Crime in Hong Kong

Scammers impersonate Hong Kong lawmaker to defraud woman of HK$38,000

Legislator Gary Chan condemns ‘despicable’ scam and urges vigilance after fraudsters impersonating him trick woman into transferring money.

Asean

Southeast Asia’s scam compound survivors suffer in stigma and silence

Many survivors return home to inhabit a murky space between victim and offender, with few support services to help them reintegrate.

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Detained scam centre workers are seen after a raid on a compound in Myanmar’s eastern Myawaddy township last year. Photo: AFP
Singapore

Malaysian scammers in Singapore pivot to cash handover as online curbs tighten

The warning by Singapore police comes as government official impersonation scams continue to surge in the city state.

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A poster in Singapore’s Raffles Place warning the public of scam threats. Photo: AFP
Cambodia

Video | Cambodia police raid AI-driven scam centre targeting Europe

Cambodia arrested 65 suspects in a Phnom Penh raid on an alleged AI-powered scam centre that targeted European victims with live video calls.

Cambodia

150,000 Meta accounts shut down in Southeast Asian scam centre crackdown

Meta has also launched protective tools such as Facebook and WhatsApp alerts for suspicious friend requests and activities.

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