Scammer posing as badminton racket seller steals over $500,000 amid surge in online fraud

Police have reported more than 200 cases of online shopping fraud in the past week, involving losses exceeding HK$10 million. Among the cases, one victim lost over HK$500,000 after a scammer posing as a badminton racket seller on Carousell stole their banking information.

According to the police’s anti-fraud platform CyberDefender, the victim contacted the seller on Carousell and later continued the conversation on WhatsApp. After paying for the racket, the victim was told that the item had been sold out. The scammer then sent a link, claiming it was for a refund.

Unaware of the trap, the victim clicked the link and entered personal information, bank account details, and one-time passwords (OTPs). Out of concern over refund handling, the victim also provided information for several other bank accounts. Shortly afterward, they discovered more than HK$500,000 had been withdrawn from multiple accounts.

Police said the case highlights a growing trend of scammers using social media and second-hand trading platforms to target unsuspecting buyers. They urged the public to arrange face-to-face transactions whenever possible, check sellers’ ratings, and use official payment features on platforms like Carousell.

Citizens are also advised not to click on suspicious links or input banking information on unknown websites. Police further recommended the use of tools such as the “Scameter” website and “Scameter+” mobile app to verify potential fraud before making payments.