Recently, the Hong Kong police reported a cross-border fraud case. A mainland female graduate student at the University of Hong Kong was deceived by criminals posing as government officials who repeatedly asked for transfers, eventually leading her to Thailand.
The criminals then falsely claimed that she had been kidnapped and extorted a ransom from her parents. Fortunately, her parents remained calm and immediately sought police help. The Hong Kong police cooperated with Interpol to successfully rescue the victim in a Bangkok hotel and escorted her safely back to Hong Kong to reunite with her family.
Fraud cases are frequent, with students being the main target
Data shows that from January to October this year, the Hong Kong police received 874 cases of fraud involving impersonation of government officials or police, with total losses amounting to 6.2 billion Thai Baht, doubling compared to the same period last year. Among these, 283 victims were students, 72% of whom were mainland students studying abroad. Especially in October, the number of students deceived increased sharply to 91, significantly higher than the monthly average of 24 in previous months.
Fraud tactics are escalating, becoming more threatening
The Hong Kong Anti-Fraud Center points out that the main reason mainland students are deceived is due to their lack of understanding of the local environment and rules upon arriving in Hong Kong, making them susceptible to anxiety over academic or financial issues, which criminals exploit. Early common fraud methods involved phone contact, falsely claiming that the victim's bank account or phone card was suspected of criminal involvement, requiring payment of a security deposit to "prove innocence".
However, recent fraud tactics have become more aggressive, with victims being forced to take nude photos or videos, or even being moved to another location, then falsely claimed to be kidnapped to extort ransom from their families. In this case, the female victim was lured to Thailand, cut off contact with her family, and then subjected to a fake kidnapping plot by the criminals.
Police reminder: Strengthen prevention awareness
The Hong Kong police urge the public, especially the student community, to remain vigilant against any calls asking for transfers or security deposits, and not to trust strangers easily.
Additionally, mainland students new to Hong Kong should learn more about local laws and fraud prevention knowledge to avoid becoming fraud targets due to lack of experience. In suspicious situations, they should immediately seek police help to ensure their safety.
