Man loses MOP250,000 in suspected online romance scam

A local middle-aged man reported losing approximately MOP250,000 after allegedly falling victim to an online romance scam, authorities said.

According to the Judiciary Police yesterday, the victim met a woman claiming to work in Hong Kong on a social media platform in May 2025.

The two developed an online romantic relationship, and after about three months, the woman began requesting money for various reasons. Believing her claims, the victim purchased virtual currencies through designated apps and transferred funds to specified digital wallets multiple times.

Last week, the victim arranged to meet the woman in Macau at the airport but was unable to locate her.

He later received a call from someone claiming to be a Hong Kong police officer, stating the woman had been arrested for money laundering and that the victim’s transferred funds were involved. The man was instructed to transfer virtual currency worth about MOP5,500 as a “guarantee deposit.”

After failing to receive any refund and consulting his family, he realized he had been scammed and reported the case to authorities. Investigations are ongoing.