Crime Police warn of Facebook scams involving fake travel and food pages

The Judiciary Police (PJ) have warned the public about fraudulent advertisements circulating on Facebook, where scammers impersonate local travel agencies or specialty food retailers to sell discounted buffet vouchers and premium food items such as steak packages.

The fake pages lure victims with attractive prices and direct them to pay via MPay.

Between 22 and 24 of this month, PJ received 10 reports from residents who fell victim to the scam, with losses ranging from MOP410 to more than MOP17,000, totaling approximately MOP52,000.

According to police, scammers typically claim that buffets are fully booked or that goods are out of stock, and then offer refunds. Victims are instructed to scan unfamiliar QR codes and enter personal passwords to “register for refunds.” Once this is done, victims unknowingly authorize their MPay accounts to be linked to third-party shopping platforms.

The scammers then use the linked accounts to make unauthorized purchases, causing victims not only to lose the original payment but also to suffer additional financial losses.

PJ urged the public to exercise caution when shopping online, particularly when offers appear unusually cheap or attractive. Residents are advised to verify the legitimacy of sellers with physical stores before making payments.