18-Year-Old Man Reports Being Fraudulently Charged by Immigration Department Staff, Loses $600,000

At 12:55 PM on February 2, an 18-year-old man reported to a youth hostel at 1331 Chengfeng Road, Chek Lap Kok, that he received a call from someone claiming to be from the Immigration Department, accusing him of sending false information and demanding a transfer of HKD 640,000 to prove his innocence. The caller then disappeared, and the victim suspects he has been scammed. The police have taken up the case as a fraud investigation.

At 12:55 PM today (2nd), an 18-year-old male reported to the Yingxiao Lodge at No. 1331 Qingfeng Road, Chi Kong, that he had recently received a phone call from someone claiming to be an Immigration Department staff member, accusing him of spreading false information. The caller requested that he transfer money to prove his innocence, and the male subsequently transferred a total of HKD640,000 to the designated account. The suspect then vanished, leading the male to believe he had been defrauded and he subsequently called the police for assistance. The police have classified the case as a fraud investigation.

The male reported that the caller asked him to make the transfer as a proof of his innocence, but after he was unable to contact the caller again, he realized he might have fallen prey to a scam. The Police have stated that they will further investigate the case to uncover the identity of the suspect and recover the lost funds. This incident highlights the increasing prevalence of telecom fraud, where fraudsters use deception to trick victims into transferring money under false pretences.