Hong Kong police reported 2,273 online investment fraud cases in the first half of 2025, marking a 24.8 percent increase compared to the same period last year, with total losses soaring to HK$1.48 billion.
In the most severe individual case, a 65-year-old retired woman lost HK$31 million after responding to a Facebook investment tip post in August 2024. She was lured into a WhatsApp group and downloaded fraudulent apps for Hong Kong and US stock investments, transferring funds between October 2024 and April 2025 before realizing she couldn't withdraw her money.
Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau Senior Superintendent Carmen Leung Oi-lam revealed that investment scams now rank as the third most common technology crime after online shopping and job scams, but account for the highest total losses at HK$1.48 billion. The average loss per case reached HK$651,000, far exceeding other categories.
Scammers primarily target victims through WhatsApp (1,260 cases), Facebook (411), and Instagram (226), with 70 percent of victims aged 41-60 or older. Professionals including doctors, lawyers, and accountants constituted 10 percent of victims.
Police warned that scammers use fake investment groups featuring "golden analysts" and fabricated profit screenshots to create false credibility. They typically allow small initial withdrawals before disappearing with larger investments.
A emerging trend involves "pig-butchering" romance scams, where fraudsters pose as potential tenants on property platforms before establishing romantic relationships. These scams increased 24 percent to 199 cases, with one 52-year-old property owner losing HK$31 million after being convinced to invest on fake platforms.
