Man scammed HKD6.85 million by suspect claiming to be ‘Shanghai Public Security Bureau’

A young local man has fallen victim to a scam involving people claiming to be the “Shanghai Public Security Bureau” and has lost HKD6.85 million. The police investigated and uncovered that the money was transferred to three bank accounts in Hong Kong and was subsequently withdrawn.

One of the account holders, a 40-year-old unemployed woman from mainland China, was apprehended upon entering Macau on Monday, authorities reported yesterday. HKD1.65 million was transferred to a Hong Kong bank account under the name of a suspect named Tang.

On April 15, early in the morning, the suspect was intercepted at the border. The suspect admitted to opening a bank account in Hong Kong at the request of an individual who promised to reward them with 20% of the received funds.

The suspect was transferred to the procuratorate and is accussed of committing significant fraud, money laundering, and participating in criminal group activities.

The incident began when the victim received a phone call on August 24, 2023 from someone claiming to be from the “Shanghai Public Security Bureau.” The caller alleged that the victim’s mainland phone number was associated with a significant gambling fraud case and was under investigation.

Following the caller’s instructions, the victim provided their bank account details and password for a fund review. After more than 10 days without any updates, the victim grew suspicious and reported the case to the police on September 5, 2023.

The police determined that HKD1.65 million from the victim’s bank account had been transferred to the suspect’s account in Hong Kong. The suspect said that she had not received any payment yet.

The suspect is accused of being involved in large-scale fraud, money laundering, and criminal group activities. She has been transferred to the procuratorate for further legal proceedings..Staff Reporter