Job scams climb 6.3pc to 4,095, with most linked to task fraud

Online job scams rose to 4,095 cases in 2025, up 6.3 percent from a year earlier, with about 90 percent of cases linked to so-called task scams, police said.

The biggest loss exceeded HK$6 million, involving a local man in his 50s who was duped in March.

The man, an investment manager, was lured by a “quick money” ad on Facebook promising high commissions.

Scammers posing as customer service staff asked him to register on an unknown website and transfer HK$6.14 million, along with about HK$130,000 in cryptocurrency, to multiple bank accounts and digital wallets.

He realized he was scammed after he was unable to withdraw the money and lost contact with the fraudsters.

Police urged the public to stay alert, warning against job ads promising high returns with no qualifications required.

Police also advised the public not to click suspicious links, download unknown apps, or transfer money to unknown accounts.