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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.
Vietnamese property tycoon Truong My Lan attends her trial at the People’s High Court of Ho Chi Minh City, in December 2024. Photo: EPA-EFE
Vietnam

Vietnam’s Truong My Lan offers property empire to avoid death penalty

Property tycoon Truong My Lan has pledged to transform her undervalued assets into a “golden goose” to repay embezzled billions to escape the death penalty.

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Hong Kong courts

Hong Kong actress Rainky Wai granted bail in HK$5.8 million fraud case

Crime in Hong Kong

3 arrested in Hong Kong over HK$4 million London gold trading scam

Trending in China

China teenage girl’s crying photo, stolen, misused on porn sites, sex arousal ads

‘Innocent’ 19-year-old thought to be ‘too beautiful when crying’ by internet users seeks redress, has ‘no idea what she did wrong’.

A young Chinese woman whose crying photograph was stolen and is being used on pornographic websites and in advertisements for sex products is battling to restore her reputation. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo/Jimu
Crime in Hong Kong

Fans of Hong Kong star Nicholas Tse report losses of HK$900,000 over ticket scams

Police say nearly 100 cases of online shopping scams linked to recent ‘Evolution Nic Live’ Kai Tak Stadium shows.

Myanmar

Myanmar-based warlord overseeing scam hub faces US sanctions

The US Treasury Department says the Karen National Army, run by Saw Chit Thu, is a ‘transnational criminal organisation’.

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France

Kidnapped father of crypto-millionaire freed in French police raid, 7 arrested

Suspects had chopped off one of the victim’s fingers and demanded between US$5.7 million and US$7.9 million from his son, authorities said.

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Physical representations of digital cryptocurrencies, displayed in February 2018 in Paris, France. Photo: Getty Image
Hong Kong courts

Ex-Hong Kong district councillor pleads not guilty to charges over HK$740,000 scam

Wong Chun-yeung charged over fraud syndicate that cheated nine people in ‘guess who I am’ phone scams in 2023.

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong hotel accounting manager jailed for 6 years over HK$26 million fraud

39-year-old used stolen funds from the Four Seasons Hotel to purchase a HK$5.88 million flat in Tseung Kwan O and luxury Porsche sports car.

Crime in Hong Kong

Man arrested in Hong Kong over scams involving impersonation of mainland police

20-year-old suspect allegedly targeted victims in at least eight telephone scams last month, swindling them out of HK$1.36 million.

Hong Kong police have arrested a man suspected to be linked to at least eight telephone scams. Photo: Handout
Crime in Hong Kong

Hongkonger conned out of HK$2 million trying to recover HK$5,000 lost in scam

Fraudster claimed to know ‘team’ that could help recover funds lost in scams, but told victim she had to pay a deposit first, police say.

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The woman, 37, was tricked into the recovery scheme earlier this month after a person on Telegram told her he had also been scammed. Photo: Getty Images
Fame and celebrity

6 celebrities currently doing time behind bars

From R&B legends and a Real Housewife to a former sitcom star – these famous folks sensationally went from riches to rags overnight … and are still paying for their crimes.

Crime in Hong Kong

Nearly 100 Hongkongers lose HK$90 million in 1 week through investment scams

Fraudsters pose as investing gurus with insider knowledge on stocks and crypto, with one victim scammed out of HK$10 million, police say.

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Viral stories

Japanese man hides dad’s body in wardrobe for 2 years to evade funeral expenses

Some speculate that man intends to claim extra pension benefits, while others express sympathy.

A Japanese man hid his father’s body in a wardrobe for two years to avoid the costs of a funeral and is now under investigation for pension fund fraud. Photo: SCMP composite/newsdig.tbs.co.jp/Shutterstock
United States

Ex-US congressman George Santos sobs as he’s jailed for over 7 years for fraud

The former Republican lawmaker came under the spotlight when it was revealed that he had fabricated much of his life story.

George Santos departs after the sentencing in his criminal corruption charges at Central Islip Federal Courthouse in New York on Friday. Photo: Reuters
Britain

‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’: Oasis fans lose US$2.7 million to UK ticket scams

Lloyds bank said most scams occurred on Facebook as fraudsters targeted the reunion tour.

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Crime in Hong Kong

3 arrested in Hong Kong over 2,000 fake HK$500 million ‘bonds’

Two men and a woman, aged between 65 and 75, tried to open an account at a Standard Chartered branch in Mong Kok, police say.

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Consumer protection in Hong Kong

Hong Kong beauty centre closure sparks probe into HK$200,000 of prepaid packages

At least 22 complaints have been made with individual victims reporting losses ranging between HK$10,000 and HK$20,000.

Three of the more than 20 victims attend a press conference on Tuesday about the abrupt closure of Athena Beauty. Photo: Jelly Tse
United Nations

Southeast Asia’s scam gangs go global as crackdown bites

A new United Nations report warns of a global surge in Asian-led scam centres, operating as far afield as Nigeria, Angola and Brazil.

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Trending in China

China teacher fired for dating students using fake ID, pressuring 1 into abortion

Economics teacher forged name, age, job, family background to lure young women into relationships, expelled from Communist Party.

Hong Kong society

Editorial | Concerted effort will be required to fight scamming scourge in Hong Kong

Offences, often involving international gangs, are difficult to combat and Hong Kong must ensure it remains one of the world’s safest cities.

Newly appointed Hong Kong police commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming has prioritised tackling scams. Photo: Dickson Lee
Vietnam

Vietnam tycoon on death row has life sentence cut to 30 years in laundering case

Truong My Lan’s life sentence for laundering billions was shortened on Monday – but she still faces the death penalty in a separate case.

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Vietnamese property tycoon Truong My Lan (centre) appears at a court in Ho Chi Minh city on March 25. Photo: AFP
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong woman arrested over mishandling body, running gambling operation

Body of man, 65, had allegedly been moved from building to outside hair salon on Yee Kuk Street in Kowloon.

Myanmar

Ethnic Karen people flee Myanmar for Thailand amid bombing, unrest

Fighting has been raging in Myanmar’s Kayin state on the Thai border, with local ethnic militias battling the junta that seized power in 2021.

Crime in Hong Kong

8 arrested over running Hong Kong scam ring, opening bank accounts with deepfakes

Successful attempts to open bank accounts involved images created by merging scammers’ faces and those on lost IDs using artificial intelligence, force says.

Chief Inspector Sun Yi-ki (right) has said the eight suspects were apprehended on Thursday last week. Photo: Edmond So
Crime in Hong Kong

SCMP alerts Hong Kong police over bogus lookalike report on tycoon Li Ka-shing

Fake article claims billionaire offered cryptocurrency investment advice during TV news interview.

The fake webpage about billionaire Li Ka-shing. Photo: SCMP
Crime in Hong Kong

E-commerce head urges scam arbitration for safer online shopping in Hong Kong

Consumers more at risk when using bank accounts for online transactions rather than third-party processors such as PayPal or credit cards.

Hong Kong police

Hong Kong police arrest 6 over HK$20 million government loan fraud

Three men and three women, aged between 29 and 45, applied for funds under the Special 100 per cent Loan Guarantee Scheme.

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