Mainland Chinese student at HKUST loses HK$1 million in scam posing as mainland authorities
Quick Look
- A 19-year-old mainland Chinese student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology lost approximately HK$1 million (US$127,500) after being deceived by a fraudster who claimed she was involved in a mainland criminal case and demanded payment of 'guarantees'.
- Police received the report at 1:07am on Sunday and classified the case as deception.
- In the first three months of the year, 42 mainland students in Hong Kong have fallen victim to similar scams.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Scams targeting mainland students in Hong Kong by fraudsters posing as mainland authorities have been reported, with 42 cases in the first three months of the year.
A mainland Chinese university student in Hong Kong has lost about HK$1 million (US$127,500) in a scam, in which the fraudster claimed she was involved in a criminal case and demanded “guarantees” from her.
Police said they received a report from a 19-year-old mainland woman who was student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) at 1.07am on Sunday.
The force said the victim had earlier received calls from someone posing as a government officer, accusing her of being involved in a criminal case on the mainland and demanding that she pay around HK$1 million in “guarantees”.
She made the payment but later realised she might have been deceived, prompting her to call police, the force added.
The case has been classified as deception.
In the first three months of this year, 42 mainland students in Hong Kong fell victim to scams involving fraudsters posing as mainland authorities.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Police will continue to investigate the scam and issue public warnings to prevent further incidents
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific methods did the fraudster use to convince the student to pay?
- Have any suspects been identified or arrested in connection with this scam?
- Are authorities increasing warnings or preventive measures for mainland students in Hong Kong?
