Scammers pose as Bank of China (Hong Kong) in SMS fraud; victims lose up to $1m

Hong Kong police warned that fraudsters are impersonating Bank of China (Hong Kong) through fake SMS messages, tricking people into revealing bank details and causing losses of up to HK$1 million.

The Anti-Deception Coordination Centre said recent victims received messages claiming their “BOCHK Life” subscription had expired and monthly fees would be deducted immediately. The messages urged recipients to call a specified number.

Callers then posed as UnionPay staff offering to cancel the deduction.

They instructed victims to click links to fake websites, enable screen sharing, or provide account numbers, passwords and other sensitive information.

Using these details, the scammers logged into victims’ accounts and transferred funds.

Bank of China (Hong Kong) confirmed it has no connection to the messages and urged the public to stay vigilant.

Police reminded residents that legitimate BOCHK SMS messages use sender names starting with “#”, such as #BOCHK, #BOCHK_TXN or #BOCHK_CC, under the SMS Sender Registration Scheme. Any message without the “#” prefix should be treated as suspicious.

The force advised against replying to the messages, clicking links, sharing screens, downloading apps, or visiting unfamiliar websites.

Anyone who receives a suspicious message should contact BOCHK directly at (852) 3988 2388 (select language, then press 3, #, 2) or call the Anti-Scam Helpline 18222.

Residents can also use the Scameter website or Scameter+ app to check suspicious phone numbers, websites or bank accounts.