Woman, 61, tricked out of HK$600k by "military boyfriend"

The police announced on Friday that a 61-year-old woman was scammed out of HK$600,000 by a fraudster posing as a military man who claimed to be facing financial difficulties. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant when interacting with individuals online.

Online love scams continue to occur, causing victims to suffer significant financial losses, often amounting to millions. Over the past week, police have reported receiving 16 cases related to online romance fraud, totaling losses of more than HK$4.9 million.

In this month alone, the police have dealt with 59 related cases, resulting in a combined loss exceeding HK$27 million. The largest single reported loss was nearly HK$2.3 million.

The police detailed that the 61-year-old woman received a random WhatsApp message from someone claiming to be a military officer. As their conversation progressed, they developed a romantic relationship. However, the so-called boyfriend soon claimed to be in financial trouble and persuaded the victim to transfer money to him using various excuses.

Unsuspecting, the victim transferred HK$600,000 to the fraudster's local bank account over a short period. After receiving the funds, the "military boyfriend" disappeared without a trace.

According to the police, the methods used by fraudsters are not particularly sophisticated and tend to be similar in each instance of the crime.

Scammers typically use attractive photos to garner attention on social platforms and dating apps, falsely presenting themselves as professionals to create the illusion of a perfect match. They then emotionally manipulate the victims, making them feel loved and cared for, which leads the victims to fall into their traps willingly.

The police spokesperson emphasized that both men and women are susceptible to such scams. Scammers are adept at using psychological techniques and often target the emotional vulnerabilities of their victims.

The spokesperson strongly advises the public to exercise increased caution when making online acquaintances, particularly when initiating conversations with strangers. They also recommend using search engines to verify the authenticity of photos posted on social media accounts and to check whether the friends listed on someone's account appear legitimate.