A 66-year-old woman in Hong Kong lost HK$2.7 million (US$344,158), approximately ₹3 crore, after falling victim to a telephone scam in which a caller falsely claimed that her bank account was linked to money laundering.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the woman, who lives in Sau Mau Ping, reported the incident to police at around 5 am on Saturday (October 31). She told officers that she had received a suspicious phone call earlier in October.
Scammer claimed bank account was under investigation
During the call, the man allegedly told the woman that a bank account she had used to purchase insurance online had been implicated in money laundering activities.
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The caller then instructed her to transfer money into designated bank accounts, claiming the funds were required for investigative purposes.
{{/usCountry}}The caller then instructed her to transfer money into designated bank accounts, claiming the funds were required for investigative purposes.
{{/usCountry}}Believing the caller's claims, the woman initially transferred HK$2 million into one of the specified accounts. She subsequently made another transfer of HK$700,000, bringing her total losses to HK$2.7 million.
It was only after completing the transactions that she began suspecting something was wrong.
She eventually approached the police and reported the incident.
Authorities have classified the case as deception. No arrests had been made at the time of reporting.
Police warn against money laundering phone scams
The incident resembles a fraud method previously highlighted by Hong Kong's Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC), in which criminals impersonate bank employees or law enforcement officials and falsely accuse victims of financial wrongdoing.
In an earlier public advisory, the centre warned that fraudsters sometimes claim a person's bank account has been involved in suspicious transactions or money laundering. They may then demand transfers to designated accounts under the pretext of resolving the alleged problem.
The authorities have repeatedly emphasised that genuine law enforcement officers do not ask people to transfer money into specified accounts as part of an investigation.
Residents have also been advised to independently verify suspicious calls rather than relying on information provided by unknown callers.
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Hong Kong police operate a round-the-clock Anti-Scam Helpline, 18222, which provides guidance to people who suspect they are being targeted by fraudsters. Those who believe they have already been defrauded are advised to report the matter to police.