Hundreds swindled out of joint MOP8.53 million in phone scams

Macau’s Judiciary Police (PJ) has recorded 214 phone fraud cases in this year’s first quarter. In 30 percent of the cases, victims were swindled out of their money, the total of which is said to have reached around MOP8.53 million.
A joint investigation launched by Macau and Taiwan’s police authorities led to the arrest of two Taiwan residents in connection to phone fraud charges.
The nature of phone scams varies, but the PJ said there are five highly common types of phone fraud reaching Macau. One of the most famous phone scams features a scammer who pretends to be a family member of acquaintance of the victim. Other scams include convincing the victim that he/she has won a prize.
Last May, police authorities also warned residents of a new telephone scam, in which victims receive calls from conmen pretending to represent someone in a position of authority from mainland China and asking for their bank account details.
Similar phone scams have been reported in Hong Kong. South China Morning Post reported that phone scams involving scammers posing as mainland law enforcement officials increased 11-fold in the first five months of this year.
Nineteen people were swindled out of a total of HKD13 million between January and May in the neighboring SAR.  MDT/Lusa