Hong Kong residents lost more than HK$5.3 billion to scams over the past year, with each victim losing an average of HK$6,798 — more than HK$1,600 higher than the regional average in Southeast Asia — according to a study.
The State of Scams in Hong Kong 2025 report, released jointly by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) and scam-blocking app Whoscall, found that 76 percent of respondents in Hong Kong believed they were able to identify scams.
However, a significant number of people who thought they could “always” spot fraudulent activity still ended up falling victim and losing money.
The average financial loss per victim in Hong Kong, at HK$6,798, far exceeds the Southeast Asian regional average of approximately HK$5,140. The figure is more than double the average loss in Thailand, at around HK$2,770, and more than four times that of the Philippines, at roughly HK$1,500.
The report also noted that scam tactics have diversified, making them harder to detect. While unsolicited calls remain common, scam operations have increasingly spread to everyday digital platforms such as SMS, WhatsApp, and Instagram — channels that Hongkongers use frequently in daily life.
Despite nearly 70 percent of victims choosing to report their cases, 61 percent said they received no follow-up after making a report, the findings showed.
The report added that around 70 percent of respondents expect public service providers — including the government, police, financial regulators, consumer protection organizations, and businesses such as telecom firms and banks — to take a more proactive role in combating fraud.
GASA emphasized that society must strengthen its sense of collective responsibility and expand access to effective anti-scam tools in order to rebuild public trust in the digital environment.
