Last Updated on by SCARS Editorial Team
RSN™ SCAMScam A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime - is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. NEWS: Online Romance Scam Record Loses US$23 Million To ‘British Engineer’
Online romance scam record for Hong Kong as Wan Chai businesswoman loses US$23 million to ‘British engineer’
Victim transferred money to a con artist overseas in a series of transactions over four years
A 66-year-old businesswoman has become Hong Kong’s biggest victim of an online romance scam after being duped out of HK$180 million (US$23 million) over four years by an “engineer from Britain”.
The money she lost was nearly seven times the previous HK$26.4 million record for a single ruse, which was swindled out of a public housing tenant over a period of 18 months.
The latest case came to light after the Wan Chai woman had a conversation with her family and realized she was being duped. She contacted police last month.
A con artist posing as an overseas engineer befriended her on online platform Lovestruck in April 2014, and the pair established a relationship, according to a law enforcement source.
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[contentcards url=”https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/2163014/online-romance-scam-record-hong-kong-wan-chai” target=”_blank”]
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FAQ: How Do You Properly Report Scammers?
It is essential that law enforcement knows about scamsScams A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime - is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. & scammers, even though there is nothing (in most cases) that they can do.
Always report scams involving money lost or where you received money to:
- Local Police – ask them to take an “informational” police report – say you need it for your insurance
- Your National Police or FBIFBI FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, the FBI is also a member of the U.S. Intelligence Community and reports to both the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence. A leading U.S. counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, and criminal investigative organization, the FBI has jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes, including financial fraud. (www.IC3.gov)
- The ScarsSCARS SCARS - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. A government registered crime victims' assistance & crime prevention nonprofit organization based in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. SCARS supports the victims of scams worldwide and through its partners in more than 60 countries around the world. Incorporated in 2015, its team has 30 years of continuous experience educating and supporting scam victims. Visit www.AgainstScams.org to learn more about SCARS. Worldwide Reporting Network