A 70-year-old woman has lost over HK$4 million in an online romance scam in which the fraudster posed as a single former acquaintance.
The scam began when the woman received a WhatsApp message from a man claiming to be a divorced peer who knew her from the past and worked in trade with profitable gold investments. Their online chats developed into a virtual relationship.
The fraudster then offered to open and manage an investment account for her, convincing her to deposit funds. She followed instructions, making over 60 deposits into dozens of different personal bank accounts via ATMs over three months.
Later, the scammer demanded more money for supposed profit tax payments. She continued transferring funds until he suddenly cut contact.
The woman exhausted over HK$300,000 in personal savings and borrowed from her children and relatives, resulting in total losses exceeding HK$4 million.
Police noted that from December 1 to 17, they received over 50 reports of online romance scams involving more than HK$16 million, with over 40 percent of victims aged 50 or above.
Authorities urge the public not to trust strangers met online, remain rational, be wary of high-return investment platforms, consult family before financial transactions, and use scam screening tools to assess risks.
