As Hong Kong mourns the more than 150 lives lost in the Wang Fuk Court inferno, cold-blooded fraudsters have wasted no time trying to cash in on the grief, using fake mainland police calls, impersonated government texts, and bogus relief-fund links to trick victims out of their money and personal details.
Police say one common ruse involves callers pretending to be Chinese public security officers who accuse victims of illegal fundraising or spreading rumors about the fire online, then threaten arrest unless the person either travels to the mainland for questioning or transfers money immediately.
Another scam sends text messages claiming a donation to the Red Cross has been charged to the recipient’s bank account, complete with a suspicious number to call back.
Authorities have stressed that genuine mainland law-enforcement agencies never phone people in Hong Kong to conduct investigations or to demand transfers, and that legitimate government departments do not send unsolicited texts requesting banking details.
Officers are urging everyone to hang up immediately on any call with a “+86” country code from someone claiming to be police, and to check dubious numbers or links on the official Cyber Defender website or the 18222 anti-scam hotline.
With emotions running high and donation appeals everywhere, police warn that scammers are ruthlessly preying on kindness and confusion, making it more vital than ever to stay vigilant in the wake of the city’s deadliest fire.
