A retired man in his 60s lost nearly HK$7 million after making more than 150 transfers to someone he had met on WhatsApp, Hong Kong police said.
The stranger claimed to be a Singapore businessperson and said they had added his number by mistake. What began as casual conversation became daily messages of mutual concern, and the pair called each other “dear” despite never meeting in person.
Police said the sender later repeatedly asked him for loans, citing claimed emergencies including a car crash and hospitalisation, as well as financial difficulties. They promised to repay him. Over fewer than 300 days, he transferred money to different accounts on the sender’s instructions.
The sender eventually stopped responding, and the man realised he had been scammed. Police also reported receiving more than 40 online romance scam reports, involving losses of more than HK$14 million, over the preceding two weeks.
In advice posted on CyberDefender, police urged people to verify the identities of strangers who contact them and to pause before lending or transferring money to someone they have never met.