Foreign woman loses over $2m in hotel booking scam as police record nearly $10m in weekly job fraud

Hong Kong police received more than 20 reports of online employment fraud over the past week, involving total losses nearing HK$10 million, with one expatriate woman swindled out of more than HK$2 million in a deceptive hotel booking commission scheme.

The recent wave of scams highlights the persistent threat of cyber fraud targeting job seekers across the territory, with criminal syndicates leveraging popular social media platforms and encrypted messaging services to lure unsuspecting victims with promises of high, quick returns.

Elaborate fake reservation scheme lures victim

The expatriate victim was enticed by a recruitment advertisement on Facebook that offered lucrative commissions for boosting hotel booking numbers online through order-brushing tasks. 

After leaving a comment expressing interest in the role, she was approached by scammers through WhatsApp, who supplied her with a referral code and a link to a bogus hotel reservation website.

Following directions from individuals posing as online customer service representatives, the victim registered an account on the fraudulent platform. 

She was then instructed to perform tasks by transferring funds into several personal bank accounts under the pretext of making hotel reservations to generate substantial commissions.

Inability to withdraw funds uncovers massive loss

Although the bogus website initially showed that commissions had been credited to her platform account, the victim discovered that she was unable to withdraw any of the funds.

Suspecting foul play after discussing the matter with family members, she contacted the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre by calling the 18222 anti-scam helpline, where officers confirmed she had fallen prey to an online fraud ring. 

Within just a few days, she had transferred more than HK$2 million to the fraudsters.

Authorities urge vigilance amid surge in weekly cases

Police noted that this case formed part of a broader surge in employment-related deception, with over 20 similar reports documented within a seven-day span resulting in nearly HK$10 million in collective financial losses.

Investigators reiterated that residents should exercise extreme caution when encountering online recruitment advertisements that promise easy money or unusually high commission rates, warning against transferring funds to personal bank accounts or clicking on unverified links provided by strangers on messaging apps.

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