17 arrested, HK$3.67m seized in crackdown on scam group using Malaysian ‘runners’
Police say arrests connected to phone scams that targeted 22 people and resulted in losses of HK$2.5 million between June and August
Hong Kong police have arrested 17 people and seized HK$3.67 million (US$470,500) in a crackdown on a fraud syndicate that recruited foreign “runners” from Malaysia to collect crime proceeds from victims.
The police force’s Kowloon West crime squad said on Sunday that the arrests were made in connection with “guess who I am” phone scams that duped 22 victims out of about HK$2.5 million between June and August. The single largest loss was HK$700,000.
Such cons typically involve scammers calling victims and impersonating relatives or friends to request quick cash to settle bogus claims of arrests or other emergencies.
Police said the crime syndicate had recruited runners from Malaysia to collect the cash directly from victims and take it to three transit points. They were offered HK$500 to HK$1,000 a day, with their flights and accommodation also covered, the force added.