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During the first half of 2026, impersonation scams targeting customer service rose sharply by 50% to 2,254 cases, with financial losses increasing by nearly 40% to approximately HK$300 million. Victims span all age groups, leaving both youth and the elderly equally vulnerable.
Common Tactics & Excuses
Scammers frequently impersonate staff from AlipayHK, Taobao, Pinduoduo, and HKTVmall, cold-calling victims to pressure them into making immediate transfers under three main pretexts:
- Insurance Cancellation: Falsely claiming an active insurance plan is about to deduct funds unless called immediately to cancel.
- Incorrect Address: Claiming a package delivery address is wrong and requiring urgent information updates to verify it.
- Lost Goods Compensation: Offering fake compensation or refunds for supposedly lost shipments.
Recommended Action
- Do not call phone numbers in SMSs or click on unknown hyperlinks;
- Do not share your screen with strangers;
- Do not hastily click on hyperlinks, download mobile applications, log on to any suspicious websites or download any attachments;
- You may enter suspicious phone numbers, URLs or transferees’ account numbers on “Scameter” of CyberDefender or “Scameter+”, the mobile application of “Scameter”, for security check in addition to seeking verification from relevant organisations;
- If in doubt, please call the “Anti-Scam Helpline 18222” for enquiries.
Extracted from ADCC website, please visit HERE for more details.
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