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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.
A compound near the Thai-Cambodian border Thailand’s military said was used for scam operations, pictured in March. Photo: Reuters
Cambodia

Asian Angle | Cambodia’s war on scammers needs a blueprint built to last

Rounding up foot soldiers is easy. The hard part is tracing cash, exposing high-level enablers and protecting coerced victims.

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Cambodia

Hun Manet vows to make Cambodia ‘not worth staying’ for scammers

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Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Man held as mainland Chinese dental centre in Hong Kong raided amid promotions

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US-China relations

China’s cyberscam crackdown pushed syndicates to target Americans: analysts

Beijing curbed attacks on Chinese victims, but criminal networks shifted abroad as scams spread into a global industry.

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A UN report estimates victims of Asia-Pacific online scams lost up to US$114.1 billion last year. Photo: Getty Images
Hong Kong society

Mainland Chinese dental clinics in Hong Kong come under scrutiny of authorities

Dental association alerts officials after visiting booths where staff offered free cleaning, used endoscopes to suggest treatments.

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Hong Kong courts

Ex-Hong Kong fencer jailed for 41 months for role in laundering HK$10.6 million

Court hears Chiu Man-to, 26, ignored suspicions his accounts were illegally used for money laundering.

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Cambodia

Asia-Pacific cyberscam victims lost up to US$114 billion last year: UN

The losses from online scams, mostly investment fraud, are at least triple that from 2023, reflecting a ‘dramatic scaling’, the report says.

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A Thai soldier walks near small booths lined with acoustic foam used to make scam calls inside a compound in Cambodia’s O’Smach border town on February 2. Photo: Reuters
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police arrest 61 in crackdown on phone scams as cases surge 46%

Operation smashes 54 cases mostly involving ‘guess who I am’ scams, with losses of over HK$31 million.

Trending in China

China investor reveals 9-year hunt to bring fugitive fraudster ex-wife to justice

52-year-old says wife tried to kill him to inherit his assets; is now serving a 65-year prison term in America.

Artificial intelligence

Southeast Asian scammers’ new disguise: your leader’s face

The president is asking for your bank details. He isn’t, of course. But the AI wearing his face is.

Illustration: Kevin Wong
Crime

Jiaying Chen, who wed at least 14 men in Vegas fraud scheme, to plead guilty

She allegedly asked her victims for money to help a sick relative in China, but instead used the funds to gamble, authorities say.

Jiaying Chen appears in court during a hearing at the Regional Justice Centre in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Photo: TNS
Crime in Hong Kong

Former PolyU student arrested for allegedly submitting fake academic documents

Insider says ex-student, dismissed for poor performance, handed in fake certificate and transcripts at PolyU centre.

Crime

US man Jeffrey Ying sentenced for stealing rare Chinese manuscript from UCLA

Ying would borrow valuable classics from the university library then swap them for fakes before travelling to China.

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Crime in Hong Kong

125 arrested as triads use violence to seize construction site lunchbox trade

Syndicate sold about 800 lunchboxes daily, each priced at HK$50, with an annual turnover of nearly HK$12 million.

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The group ran an illegal food preparation factory in a tin shack in Sai Kung. Photo: Handout
Indonesia

‘Strong deterrent’: Indonesia expels 92 Chinese suspected scammers

The Chinese nationals were arrested in May in connection with an alleged online gaming and investment fraud syndicate operating from Batam.

Indonesian Immigration officials escort detained Chinese nationals in November 2025 after they were arrested over allegedly running cyber scams. Photo: EPA
Thailand

Drug traffickers using social media to hire Thai airline staff as couriers

A Thai Airways flight attendant was charged with importing more than one kilogram of heroin into Australia.

WhatsApp

Fake Dubai prince scam: how AI deepfakes love-bomb victims to steal hearts and money

Fraudsters use real-time face-swapping tech and the likeness of royal ‘Fazza’ to ensnare vulnerable targets.

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Crime

Exiled Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui jailed for 30 years in US for fraud

A New York judge ordered Guo to forfeit US$889 million in restitution, saying he ‘preyed on those seeking to bring Democracy to China’.

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Fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui in New York in 2018. Photo: AFP / Getty Images / TNS
Hong Kong police

Hong Kong physiotherapist loses HK$5m in scam involving ‘beautiful assistant’

Facebook ad redirected victim to WhatsApp chat with scammer who pushed fake ‘SecuG Pro’ investment app and solicited transfers.

Japan

Meet AIko: Japan’s AI police chief taking on a US$2 billion scam epidemic

Japan has a new police chief. Her name is AIko, she lives on YouTube and she’s coming for scammers.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, mainland police smash HK$16.8 million cross-border phishing syndicate

Fifteen arrested after scammers impersonated government services, including Water Supplies Department, to dupe victims.

The joint enforcement action, code-named Operation Boldhawk, targeted a criminal chain that sent malicious text messages to residents, Superintendent Hui Yee-wai (centre) says. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong courts

Hong Kong beautician pleads guilty to luring 2 women into Myanmar scam factory

Victims offered free flights, accommodation and reward for transporting 48 million baht before being ‘sold’ to compound.

Poon Sum-yi, 33, pleaded guilty to a count of fraud for luring the two victims into travelling to Thailand. Photo: Jelly Tse
Trending in China

Chinese man sells random vacant flat to trusting couple for US$103,000

The case sparks outrage on mainland social media, with many calling Sun conscienceless and ungrateful.

Crime in Hong Kong

29 arrested in crackdown on loan sharks who charged victims 3,000% in interest

Syndicate set up call centre and posed as licensed finance companies, tricking victims into taking out loans.

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police arrest 69 over laundering HK$200m from cross-border fraud

Suspects aged 18 to 60 held in joint operation targeting syndicate using mule accounts to launder proceeds from investment scams.

Hong Kong police have arrested 69 people linked to a syndicate suspected of laundering about HK$200 million from cross-border investment fraud. Photo: Getty Images
Thailand

Thailand auctions US$18 million superyacht linked to supersized fraud

Nearly US$700 million in assets have been seized in Thailand so far, an example of the amount of dirty money sloshing through the economy.

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Atlas, a superyacht belonging to fugitive financier Benjamin Mauerberger, goes under the hammer on Tuesday. Photo: Anti-Money Laundering Office
Hong Kong courts

1 year in prison for man who forced 2 Thai women into prostitution in Hong Kong

Gang member Chiu Hon-leung ordered subordinates to lock women in Yau Ma Tei flat in 2023 but was arrested after victims alerted Thai consulate.

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Trending in China

China’s ‘soy sauce’ detox scam swindles over 100 seniors out of US$1.5 million

Police say health centre with ‘abnormal’ US$4.5 million turnover was part of organised fraud ring that preyed on loneliness of elderly.

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