Advertisement
Advertisement
TOPIC

Scams and swindles

Scams and swindles
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Scams and swindles. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Police escort suspects arrested as part of a crackdown on a phone scam syndicate. Photo: Handout
Crime in Hong Kong

17 arrested, HK$3.67m seized in crackdown on scammers 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.

Crime in Hong Kong

Multi-property owner loses HK$10 million after fraudster poses as possible tenant

Crime in Hong Kong

Investment scam cases in Hong Kong drop 15%, but losses remain high at HK$1.65b

videocam
US-China relations

US charges 11 over sham marriages involving Chinese nationals, American soldiers

More than 1,000 marriages were allegedly arranged in decade-long immigration fraud scheme that generated tens of millions of dollars.

videocam
5
In an image from the US federal court indictment, a foreign national (left), Anthony Cheng (centre) and Erika Johnson take part in a sham marriage ceremony on or about January 15, 2025. Photo: Handout
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong student arrested over HK$3m scam deceived by same swindlers

Arrested university student, 19, says she was called by scammers who demanded she follow their instructions to prove her own innocence.

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police arrest 8 over HK$6.2 million ‘sugar baby’ dating scam

Fraudsters posed as wealthy clients to extract bogus legal fees from victims, including teachers and healthcare workers, seeking compensated dates.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Malaysia

Anger in Malaysia as Liow pays fine, has money-laundering charges dropped

Nicky Liow returned to the public eye when a photo of him in the ruling party’s uniform standing next to Prime Minister Anwar went viral.

videocam
Malaysian fugitive businessman Nicky Liow is brought to court in 2021. Photo: Weibo
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong woman loses HK$69m to scammers posing as mainland Chinese officials

Victim, 43, made multiple transfers after receiving calls from fraudsters claiming to be officials accusing her of committing a crime.

22
Crime in Hong Kong

Editorial | As scams plague Hong Kong, vigilance should be the watchword

With the authorities issuing no fewer than five alerts related to deception schemes on a single day this week, it’s clear more needs to be done.

US-China relations

US presses China over alleged scam bosses despite growing police cooperation

Washington says Trump raised the issue with Xi as the FBI expands cooperation with Chinese police on cyberfraud.

videocam
Authorities say transnational cybercrime networks are becoming more sophisticated, with online scams costing victims billions of dollars each year. Photo: Getty Images
Hong Kong courts

Former Standard Chartered bank staff jailed over HK$28m Africa investment scam

Pair sentenced to three years at a Hong Kong court after ICAC probe finds they helped syndicate use fake bank documents to dupe 21 Japanese investors.

Woo Man‑ho and Chan Tak‑ching, both 39, were jailed for three years for helping a syndicate defraud Japanese investors with sham guarantees for African investment projects. Photo: Nathan Tsui
Crime in Hong Kong

Fears grow that Fun Coffee crypto scam duped over 1,000 as losses mount

Police say that total reported losses tied to Vietnam-based syndicate have climbed to HK$104 million, with 225 complaints received since last month.

videocam
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Macau police arrest 8 over HK$100m Vietnam coffee investment scam

Fun Coffee established presence in Hong Kong last year, claiming to be a coffee investment enterprise with assets of more than US$1 billion.

videocam
5
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong warns of scam sites posing as Canada, UK and Thailand e-visa portals

Privacy watchdog says fake sites often use URLs with spelling mistakes, extra letters or numbers.

Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has warned of suspected fraudulent e-visa application websites. Photo: Getty Images
Cambodia

Letters | Cambodia should investigate those who enabled scam networks

Readers discuss how Cambodia can regain international credibility, and vigilance against fraudulent loans and transactions.

A Thai soldier stands guard in a compound that the Thai military says was used for scam operations, in the town of O’Smach, along Cambodia’s northern border with Thailand, on April 7. Photo: Reuters
Donald Trump

Capital One says Trump accounts were closed over money-laundering concerns

Bank asks court to dismiss debanking lawsuit, denying political motives against US president.

Malaysia

Scam raids of Malaysia’s Forest City prompt governance questions

The raids spotlight how organised crime has evolved and expanded operations by exploiting mixed-use developments, analysts say.

videocam
5
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Hong Kong courts

Law firm drops court challenge over files seized in ‘crash-for-cash’ probe

Raymond Lam & Associates is being investigated for alleged role in fraud syndicate seeking excessive claims in minor or fabricated crashes.

Police raided the firm’s office in Mong Kok in February. Photo: Handout
Singapore

Singapore retailer Love, Bonito warns customers of scam risks after data breach

Partial payment information may also have been affected, but full credit card details were not exposed, the company says.

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong raises alert on AI voices as HK$26m lost to WhatsApp hijackers

Police say one victim was scammed out of HK$10 million by fraudsters impersonating his father.

Asean

Asian scam gangs snare educated English speakers with fake job ads: UN agency

Victims from over 80 different countries are being trafficked into cross-border scams, the International Organisation for Migration says.

videocam
People from China, Vietnam and Ethiopia, believed to have been trafficked and forced to work in scam centres, are detained in Myawaddy district in eastern Myanmar on February 26, 2025. Photo: AP
Malaysia

Malaysian police raid online scam centres in Johor, arrest 335 people

Those arrested include 309 Chinese nationals, 19 Indonesians and ⁠three Malaysians, with assets worth about US$245,000 also seized.

An aerial view of the Forest City development in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, in December 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE
Myanmar

Myanmar approves death sentence in crackdown on scam centres

Junta-backed bill targets syndicate bosses with life in prison and capital punishment.

videocam
Cambodia

Cambodia’s tourism slump leaves Angkor Wat eerily quiet

Tourist arrivals have collapsed by nearly 50 per cent this year, forcing local operators to rethink Cambodia’s entire pitch.

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.

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

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

Cambodia has come under significant international pressure over scam compounds, including from both the US and China.

videocam
A soldier stands guard inside a compound that is believed to have been used for scam operations in O’Smach, near the Thai-Cambodian border, on March 6. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

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

Arrest made at shop used to advertise mainland clinic’s services, with promotional slogans prominently displayed.

videocam
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.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement