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Scams and swindles

Scams and swindles
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Scams and swindles. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
This undated photo shows Chen Zhi (centre), who is accused of running a crime network from Cambodia, amid his extradition to China. Photo: Handout
Crime

Editorial | Regional cooperation led to arrest of alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi

The cross-border nature of his alleged criminal network required governments and law enforcement agencies to work together.

Crime in Hong Kong

8 arrested over attempting to defraud HK$8.24 million from Hong Kong scheme

Hong Kong police

Editorial | Interpol meet will enable Hong Kong to bolster global crime-fighting ties

Crime in Hong Kong

19 Pokemon cards worth HK$200,000 snatched from Hong Kong seller during deal

Seller handed over cards to young man to check them, but the suspect ran off with them and vanished, police say.

A trading card’s value hinges on factors such as rarity, edition, condition and grading. Photo: Nora Tam
Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Hong Kong’s anti-scam service a prudent way to make banking more secure

Law enforcement and banks must work together to keep Hongkongers’ money safe and their transactions secure.

Myanmar

Asian Angle | How uneven borders fuel Myanmar’s vast and resilient scam economy

Fieldwork along the borders of China and Thailand reveals how uneven controls allow fraud networks to thrive despite crackdowns.

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Thailand

Thai fortune-teller arrested after allegedly fulfilling his own bad luck prophecy

Police in Pattaya arrested the man after a teenager reported her iPhone missing following a fortune-telling session outside a temple.

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Red lanterns hang along South Pattaya beach as tourists walk past ahead of Chinese New Year. Photo: Vijitra Duangdee
Hong Kong economy

All Hong Kong retail banks to offer anti-scam service, locking cash in accounts

‘Money Safe’ users will have to meet a bank employee to undergo verification process to ensure their funds are not going to scammers.

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Crime

Mile-high crime club: theft syndicates target Asia’s airlines

Experts say rising passenger volumes, including an influx of Chinese travellers amid visa-free schemes, have attracted gangs operating in the skies.

Crime in Hong Kong

Editorial | Vigilance essential as Hongkongers hit by more online scams

The authorities must take the breach of the eMPF platform seriously, rectify the underlying vulnerabilities and restore confidence in the electronic system.

Commuters cross the street in Hong Kong’s Central district on October 20. Photo: Sun Yeung
Thailand

From PM purge to border bombs: Thailand’s year of upheaval

As the country mourns the loss of Queen Mother Sirikit amid political chaos and a sluggish economy, Lisa’s global reign lights up Thai public.

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Rescue workers extinguishing a fire at a house after it was hit by Cambodian rocket strikes during clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops, at a village in Kantharalak district, Si Sa Ket province, Thailand, on December 14. Photo: EPA/Royal Thai Army
Malaysia

With 1MDB verdict due, will Malaysia’s Najib have to ‘prepare for the worst’?

The High Court will rule on abuse of power and money laundering charges, with Najib facing the prospect of lengthy prison terms if found guilty.

Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF)

Video | Hongkongers urged to use eMPF to ward off scams

The advice comes with a warning about the recent theft of HK$1.8 million from three MPF accounts by scammers using high-quality ID forgeries.

Hong Kong society

Hongkongers urged to quickly sign up for eMPF platform as defence against scams

Cybersecurity experts call on residents to move quickly after HK$1.8 million stolen from three MPF accounts.

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The eMPF platform provides users with a one-stop online portal for managing their pension funds. Photo: Handout
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong online investment scams surge 20% as losses hit HK$3.08 billion

80 per cent of all fraudulent messages disseminated through Meta-owned platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.

Hong Kong residents lost HK$6.43 billion to various scams over the first 10 months of 2025. Photo: Jelly Tse
US-China relations

China showcases joint effort with US in drugs-related money laundering case

Case spanning both nations saw two men sentenced to jail following US tip-off, People’s Daily reports.

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Malaysia

31 Malaysians repatriated from Myanmar job scam syndicate

The job scam victims rescued from a Myawaddy job syndicate return home safely after intensive diplomatic negotiations and a 26-hour land journey.

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Singapore

Singapore cracks down on scammers with mandatory caning

The new law with tougher penalties for fraud syndicates and money mules to fight rising cybercrime takes effect December 30.

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People take pictures next to the Merlion statue at the Marina Bay waterfront in Singapore. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

Malaysian woman loses US$293,000 after hiring ‘anti-scam’ firm to recoup US$366

Malaysian scam victims are being targeted again by fraudsters posing as legal experts who promise high recovery rates.

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police arrest 7 in crackdown on credit card theft, fraud syndicate

Suspects allegedly coordinated thefts of credit cards in crowded places, before buying luxury items totalling more than HK$4 million.

Social media

How the global grey market in SIM cards powers fraud and influence

How much does an army of bots cost? A new study reveals how likes and clout are bought.

Research has shown how SIM cards from the grey market are powering bot armies that fill social media with fake likes and comments to manipulate users and deliberately steer trends. Photo: dpa
Hong Kong courts

Hongkonger remanded after ‘impersonating fire victim, claiming HK$18,000 in aid’

Defendant allegedly said he was Chan Man-him, a resident of fifth-floor flat at Wang Shing House, while the actual occupant was Wong Kam-hung.

At least 160 people died in the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Photo: Eugene Lee
United States

‘Crypto king’ Do Kwon gets 15 years in prison for misleading investors

The South Korean founder of Terraform Labs had previously pleaded guilty to fraud charges stemming from a US$40 billion stablecoin crash.

Mainland China

Video | China extradites scam suspects from Myanmar

The extraditions follow Myanmar’s raids on multiple scam compounds since October 2025.

Trending in China

China public servants use face masks to bypass facial recognition machines, skip work

Local level government staff make printouts of colleagues’ faces to circumvent clocking-in system, triggering backlash.

Public servants at a Chinese neighborhood committee have been exposed for using printed face masks to bypass facial-recognition clocking-in machines to skip work. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin
Trending in China

China prankster injures girlfriend by accident, fakes car crash for insurance cash

Argumentative couple stage ‘accident’ in remote location but their ill-conceived criminal scheme unravels when police step in.

A Chinese man and his girlfriend are facing possible imprisonment after they faked a car accident in a bid to secure an insurance payout. Photo: ifeng
Southeast Asia forced-labour scams

Letters | Cambodia is confronting the scourge of online scams head-on

Readers discuss the cross-border effort targeting the syndicates behind Cambodia’s scam farms, Malaysia’s first fully home-grown EV, and the investigation into the Tai Po fire in Hong Kong.

Thailand

‘Everyone gets a cut’: why Southeast Asia’s scam industry refuses to die

Authorities are seizing assets and raiding compounds, but analysts warn the clumsy crackdown is merely scattering syndicates to new hideouts.

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