Hong Kong universities ramp up fraud prevention efforts amid rising scam incidents

Several universities in Hong Kong are taking significant steps to enhance students' awareness of fraud prevention.

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has implemented a mandatory questionnaire, requiring completion before February 10 for library access.

This questionnaire features 35 multiple-choice questions, including scenarios to assess students’ ability to identify suspicious individuals and rank the results of Scameter searches based on their level of suspicion.

Recent reports indicate that over 60 HKU students have fallen victim to scams in recent months, totaling losses exceeding HK$60 million, primarily affecting mainland students.

City University has also documented more than 30 scam cases targeting its students last year.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has established a comprehensive publicity and education strategy to combat telephone fraud.

This includes distributing anti-fraud videos, posting leaflets on campus, and inviting police representatives to conduct fraud prevention talks.

In addition, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Lingnan University have integrated anti-fraud education into their curricula.

HKUST began incorporating a police-provided learning package into its first-year curriculum last year, receiving positive feedback from students.

The university is actively collaborating with the police to train students as fraud prevention ambassadors and has established a WeChat group for immediate support.

Lingnan University has also mandated the completion of an online fraud prevention questionnaire as part of its graduation requirements, along with offering relevant course credits.

The university organizes regular seminars, distributes leaflets, sets up publicity booths, and promotes fraud prevention knowledge through its website and email communications.

(Stacy Shi)