PJ alerts the public on increasing fraud scams

Over the past three days, authorities have reported a rise in fraudulent activities, with 25 incidents exhibiting similar criminal behaviours.

The Judiciary Police (PJ) are urging the public to be more alert to such scams.

Three victims fell prey to a scheme involving impersonators posing as “public security officers.” These fraudsters falsely claimed that the victims’ mobile phones, registered in the mainland, were being used for illegal activities such as loansharking. They coerced the victims into participating in video surveillance and funds examination, ultimately leading to the transfer of substantial sums—ranging from MOP37,000 to MOP800,000—from the victims’ bank accounts.

Additionally, three separate cases of investment fraud were reported. In these instances, victims were approached online by individuals posing as friends or romantic partners, who lured them into investing in virtual currencies. One victim discovered the scam after investing a total of MOP325,000 and subsequently being unable to recover any of the funds.

The wave of fraud also included eight cases of concert ticket scams, predominantly affecting young people who purchased tickets for events in Hangzhou and Macau from unverified sellers. Victims reported losses varying from MOP1,000 to MOP16,000.