Cryptocurrency ripoffs accounted for a significant part of the money conned through cybercrimes in Hong Kong in the first half 2022, police have revealed.
Wilson Fan Chun-yip, acting senior superintendent of the cybersecurity and technology crime bureau, stated 10, 613 cyber offences involving regarding HK$1. 58bil (RM897. 06mil) were documented between January plus June. The number signifies a 46% increase from the 7, 270 cases recorded in the same period a year ago.
Among they were 798 cryptocurrency-related ripoffs, a 105% increase from the same weeks in 2021. They will involved HK$387. 9mil (RM220. 23mil), a 130% increase from the more than HK$170mil (RM96. 51mil) cheated in the first half of this past year.
In 03 this year, a 30-year-old woman who runs a currency exchange shop that also provides cash-to-cryptocurrency exchange providers was cheated of HK$2. 2mil (RM1. 24mil). The target received an private WhatsApp message from someone who claimed to be in charge of an on-line cryptocurrency trading platform and was planning to collaborate.
“The first four dealings to exchange (cryptocurrency) Tether went smoothly, ” Fan said. “ The victim received HK$2. 7mil (RM1. 53mil), which included transaction to her for the exchange service she offered to the scammer. Simply by that point, the scammer gained the victim’s trust. ”
In the fifth plus final transaction, the victim transferred HK$2. 2mil (RM1. 24mil) worth of Tether to a designated cryptocurrency wallet as asked for by the scammer. The lady never heard as well as subsequently reported the particular incident to regulators.
According to law enforcement, job scams plus online shopping traps were the two other significant forms of fraudulent on the web activity in the town. Together with cryptocurrency-related frauds, they made up the very best three types of cybercrimes in Hong Kong.
Work scams have also increased significantly, from three hundred and fifty cases involving HK$20. 3mil (RM11. 52mil) in the first 1 / 2 of last year to 1, 625 cases involving HKD$211. 6mil (RM120. 13mil) this year.
In one case, a woman dropped over HK$3mil (RM1. 70mil) in a fraud involving work as a “click farmer” for a movie website.
She received an anonymous message upon messaging platform Telegram from someone declaring to be hiring part-time “click farmers”. The term refers to people tasked with clicking on links online to help businesses or individuals obtain money or impact.
The 48-year-old secretary was informed all she required to do was move money to specific accounts to obtain a “mission”, something that was similar to clicking “likes” on the movie website to improve viewership.
Each “mission” would make her a 1 . 3% commission on the amount involved, which she would get on the completion of 45 missions, along with the cash she transferred initially. She just necessary to start an online accounts that was linked to her own bank account so she could receive this particular salary.
Enticed by the offer, she provided her get in touch with information to the scammer behind the que incluye and did as she was informed.
“At the beginning, each mission price only several hundred dollars, and the target saw an increase within her bank account, therefore she kept spending money on missions without doubting a thing, ” stated Fan.
Since time went by, quests began to cost more. When the victim asked for the particular return of the cash she transferred, the scammer refused, suggesting she had not met the criteria by finishing 45 missions.
By her 42nd mission, she had already forked away more than HK$3. 5mil (RM1. 98mil), the sum that the lady had put together by borrowing from family and friends. She realised the girl had been scammed and went to the police.
Meanwhile, there were more instances of fraudulent activity involving online shopping in the first six months of this year, going up 41% to 3, 954 cases. This enhance comes even as the amount involved dipped through HK$46mil (RM26. 11mil) to HK$36. 2mil (RM20. 55mil).
“There was less money involved, but that is likely because there were fewer cases regarding large amounts. But buying online has become second nature to Hongkongers, especially given the Covid-19 pandemic, ” Lover said. “Scammers plus unscrupulous sellers are taking advantage of this plus infiltrating different interpersonal and shopping platforms to scam individuals out of money or by selling phony products. ”
Fan called for customers to remain vigilant whilst online shopping, especially when given seemingly attractive offers such as discounted amusement park tickets or resort stays.
Of the scams surrounding buying online, transactions made using the real-name registered Faster Payment System (FPS) made up the biggest proportion, accounting for sixty six. 8 per cent associated with cases.
Fan noted that scammers can use a foreign identity card to join up a store value service, which can then connect to FPS for immediate transactions. He reminded people not to market or give anyone access to their bank details, whether in exchange for cash or not, under any circumstances.
“In general, we have been facing a lot of issues investigating technology offences because of the anonymous plus cross-border nature from the cases, ” this individual said. – South China Morning Submit