Victims fall for online love scams losing HK$30mn in two weeks, police say

The police reported receiving 42 cases in conjunction with a concerning increase in online romance scams, resulting in total financial losses that have surpassed HK$30 million over the past two weeks.

Officers highlighted one notable case involving a local man meeting a woman claiming to be a U.S. military vet on Facebook.

The online friendship between the duo quickly turned into romance, with the woman later claiming to have discovered gold bars and cash at the military base and offered to send them to the man via courier. She asked the man to pay the administrative and customs clearance fees.

Unaware of the fraud, the victim ended up losing over HK$4.6 million in savings.

The police urged the public to exercise caution when meeting strangers online, noting scanners tend to use flattery and sweet talk to lure victims into traps.