Hong Kong police chief warns of surge in investment, impersonation scams

Hong Kong’s police chief has warned against the rise of scams involving investments and fraudsters impersonating officials in recent months.

Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu Chak-yee said on Friday the force was coming up with measures to tackle the problem of mainland Chinese students in the city falling victim to scams.

“In the past one to two months, we have seen an increase in the number of investment scams,” he said while on a visit to Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin.

“We see that [the scammers] start from online romances, showing concern for your well-being first. Afterwards, they will send you a link. They may also offer some sweeteners to entice victims to believe they can make money.”

Siu added that a lot of the victims had been involved with investment scams related to cryptocurrency.

He cautioned the public against believing offers from suspected scammers, even if they had provided residents with incentives.