Crimes increase 38% in 2023, Security chief calls for vigilance to combat phone scams

Friends and families are advised to work together to prevent phone and internet scams, Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak said yesterday at a press conference on crime numbers and related data from 2023.

In response to questions about the rising number of cases and victims despite the government’s efforts to improve education and awareness on scams, Wong emphasized the need for collective vigilance among friends and family.

He suggested the slogan, “A smart person makes a shrewd family,” to improve fraud detection and awareness. He said most victims were older adults, and that fraud prevention publicity efforts witnessed by the younger generations should be shared with their older family members.

More recent trends reveal many people with higher educational backgrounds are falling victim to fraud. Wong believed this was attributable to the victims’ mindsets, many of whom are overly confident and do not abide by the warnings as they believe they will not become victims.

He cited an example of a victim who liaised with a scammer in a fake online romance for an entire year, transferring over MOP2 million to the scammer, before being alerted by friends that it might be a scam.

Wong reiterated that law-enforcement authorities would never request fund transfers.

He was also questioned about sex offences, after telling the press some cases involved non-resident suspects or violators. The question was whether tourists had provided sex services during their stay in Macau.

While some cases did concern sex services, Wong said he did not consider the provision of sex services the same as sex offences or violations. Sex services can be distinguished from criminal offences, he said. Most of these cases, he said, rose to the level of law-enforcement as there were irregularities during the process.

Some of these cases were reported as rape, but police were required to further investigate and determine whether this related to a dispute on pricing or whether the act amounted to genuine rape.

“Sex violations, meanwhile, are criminal offences,” Wong concluded.

Wong was also asked for an update on the discovery of two deceased elderly residents who lived together, following questions that were also directed at Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong Tuesday.

He described the matter as a tragedy and explained that the security forces’ usual practices involve notifying and passing on the necessary information to the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS). He added that after the discovery of the case, special meetings were held with the Public Security Police Force (PSP), Judiciary Police (PJ) and the IAS.

Reiterating Ao Ieong’s comments, Wong said that technological solutions were crucial to preventing such incidents. He echoed Ao Ieong in saying that friends and families should stay alert and monitor the health conditions of their older relatives and friends.

“[Society] has a responsibility to care for its older adults and the chronically ill,” Wong said.

The security official said that the initial disclosure by the police made it very clear that the case was not criminal in nature. The cause of death of the two residents was attributed to the fact that they were unable to receive immediate medical assistance.

On domestic violence, Wong said there were 15 cases in 2023, 11 in 2022 and 17 in 2019.

Crimes increase 38%

At the press conference, Wong said that last year, the security forces opened 13,487 investigation files, a 37.6% rise year-on-year. When compared to 2019, however, there was a drop of 691 files, amounting to 49%.

Wong said that despite the number of crimes last year surpassing those in 2022 and approaching 2019 levels, there were significantly fewer violent crimes but more phone scams and blackmailing.

Incidences of robbery, rape, theft and property appropriation, at varied locations and times, are also comparable to 2019 levels.

The security official said crime prevention is the responsibility of society at large, and that cultivating awareness among residents is extremely important. He also expects the security forces will be busy this year, with the imminent Chief Executive Election and the 25th Anniversary of the Special Administrative Region. Nonetheless, the forces “will constantly assess the variety of security risks and remain vigilant against any threats, so as to adjust their planning and ensure all major activities and celebrations run smoothly.”