Hong Kong security chief says phone scams are here to stay, but warning against travel to Bangkok may go

A plague of phone scams that has dogged Hong Kong will continue despite a fall in the number of cases reported to police this month, the security minister warned yesterday.

Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok said the downward trend appeared to be a result of collaboration between local police and their mainland counterparts and a publicity drive that has helped people recognise attempts to cheat them.

The scam typically sees fraudsters, speaking Cantonese or Putonghua, tell victims they have broken mainland laws. They are then directed to bogus law enforcers or pointed towards fake government websites that display forged arrest warrants.

The victims are told to remit money to bank accounts on the mainland to settle matters. The funds are then quickly transferred to many different accounts to avoid detection.

Hongkongers have handed over more than HK$182 million in the wave of scams.

Lai was, however, coy on where the phone calls were made from.