Police warn of fake ADCC 'fund recovery' scams targeting fraud victims

Hong Kong police on Tuesday warned the public about fraudsters posing as officers of the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC) to carry out secondary scams targeting victims of previous fraud cases.

According to the police, scammers contact victims via WhatsApp and provide personal details, including full names and Hong Kong identity card numbers, to appear legitimate.

The impostors claim that the victims’ lost funds have been recovered and urge them to contact a designated “channel for fund recovery,” warning that failure to do so will be treated as a waiver of their claim.

To enhance their credibility, the scammers reportedly use the official slogan, “One battle, Scam zero.”

Once a victim responds or returns the call, the scammers request bank account information, online banking login details, or instruct victims to transfer money to specified accounts, resulting in further financial losses.

In one case, an investment scam victim received a WhatsApp message from a person claiming to be an “ADCC receptionist.” The fraudster told the victim that their losses had been recovered through a “joint operation with mainland police” and pressured them to act immediately or risk forfeiting the funds.

The victim became suspicious, hung up, and called the official Anti-Scam 18222 hotline to verify the claim, successfully avoiding the trap.

Police urged the public not to trust any messages, webpages, or advertisements claiming to assist with recovering fraud losses.

They also clarified that calls from ADCC officers are solely for issuing “fraud alerts” to potential victims and that officers will never request money transfers or sensitive information such as online banking passwords.

Police stressed that neither WhatsApp nor any social media platforms are used to “assist with complaints” or “process refunds.” There is no official position of “receptionist” at the ADCC, and officers will only arrange in-person meetings with victims at police stations.

The public is reminded that scammers may illegally obtain personal data, so even accurate personal details do not confirm authenticity. Anyone who receives suspected contacts claiming to be from the ADCC should verify them by calling the Anti-Scam 18222 hotline.