Scammers target Hong Kong school staff, with 1 victim losing HK$130,000

Hong Kong police recorded more than 10 scam cases targeting school employees last month, with one victim defrauded of HK$130,000 (US$16,700).

The force’s Anti-Deception Coordination Centre revealed on Friday more than 10 scam cases involving school staff across the city in February.

Most of the victims were above 50 years old, and one of them was defrauded of HK$130,000.

The scammers called school affairs offices pretending to be principals or school personnel, and asked that staff help pick up packages, the centre said.

The victims followed the instructions to go to train stations, light rail platforms or banks, before being contacted by scammers who asked them to make advance payments of delivery fees by transferring money to designated accounts.

Scammers also instructed the victims to use their credit cards for an overdraft.