Police bust hotel room phishing scam that conned victims out of HK$500,000

The Commercial Crime Bureau has dismantled a sophisticated phishing text message scam operating out of a hotel room, arresting two men for "conspiracy to defraud." Police seized a "modem pool" device, multiple mobile phones, and over a hundred SIM cards. 

The syndicate is believed to have sent mass fraudulent text messages impersonating courier companies and payment platforms, luring victims into transferring at least HK$500,000.

Hotel room served as high-tech scamming hub

According to police, an intelligence-led operation targeted two Chinese men, aged 31 and 44, who were suspected of acquiring a large number of pre-registered SIM cards from various individuals. 

After extensive review of security camera footage and in-depth analysis, police tracked the suspects to a hotel room they had rented to serve as the operation's center for sending phishing messages and making fraudulent calls. Officers raided the room on August 20 and arrested the two men.

Thousands of fake messages led to significant losses

Inside the room, police discovered a "modem pool"—a hardware device that can hold multiple SIM cards at once—which enabled the syndicate to send a high volume of scam messages from different numbers in a short period. An inspection of the seized mobile phones revealed nearly 2,000 sent phishing messages.

These texts either falsely claimed a package delivery from a courier had failed or pretended to be from a payment platform, stating that a fee was required to cancel an accidentally activated insurance plan.

The messages included fake customer service hotlines. When victims called, they were tricked into transferring money to designated accounts or given instructions to operate their own online banking accounts to make the transfers. 

Victims typically only realized they had been scammed after their funds were gone. Police confirmed that some of the SIM cards found were linked to previously reported fraud cases, with total losses exceeding HK$500,000.

Public warned against sharing SIM cards and trusting unknown hotlines

The two arrested men are currently being held for investigation, and police have not ruled out further arrests. 

Authorities are urging the public to be cautious and to never call customer service numbers found in unsolicited text messages, especially if they demand money, account details, or passwords.

Citizens are advised to verify any suspicious requests through official channels, use the "Scameter" app to assess risks, or call the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre's hotline at 18222 for help. 

Police also issued a stern reminder that selling or lending personal, real-name registered SIM cards is a serious offense. 

If the card is used for fraudulent activities, the original owner could be held criminally liable for assisting in the crime. Conspiracy to defraud carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

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