Online and telephone fraud cases reach 21,097 in 9M23 

The current figure already surpassed the total number of cases in 2022.

The Hong Kong Police recorded a significant increase in online and telephone fraud cases, with 21,097 reported incidents in 9M23, surpassing 2022's total of 19,599.

Aside from the prevalent online account hijacking scams through instant messaging software, malicious mobile apps posing a threat to online banking were exposed.

Scammers deceive users through a social media page claiming to sell “dog meat,” enticing users to download an application and make a deposit for their orders.

Once installed, the program gains control over the victim’s phone, redirecting them to a fraudulent bank login page. 

With this, scammers gain access to personal information and bank account details, to transfer the victim’s deposit.

The authorities encourage the public to be more vigilant in the digital landscape by downloading apps from official channels only and confirming that the name of the installed application or developer is spelt correctly.

Additionally, the police recommended users use biometric authentication and be cautious when receiving app permissions.