New fraud victim every 13 minutes: Hong Kong police Scameter app upgraded to send pop-up alerts amid HK$5.5 billion in tech-related losses
- Reported scam losses hit HK$5.49 billion last year with fraudsters changing methods to trick victims
- Police hope people will report suspicious numbers and web links to help expand Scameter app database
A record number of scams in Hong Kong last year saw a new victim being tricked every 13 minutes and fraudsters getting away with HK$25 million (US$3.2 million) a day, police have said.
Now the force has upgraded its Scameter search engine application, introduced a year ago, to help users identify suspicious online addresses, emails, platform usernames, bank accounts and other details and help prevent more people from becoming victims.
The app from Monday will trigger automatic pop-up reminders on the mobile devices of people who get calls from suspicious phone numbers or those who visit dubious websites.
Police also appealed to the public to report suspicious numbers and web links on the platform to help the force expand its database of possible links to scammers.
“Our goal is to join hands with residents to collectively combat fraud, provide more direct fraud alerts to the public and make use of artificial intelligence technology to more effectively deter scams,” acting senior superintendent Chan Shun-ching of the cybersecurity and technology crime bureau said last week as the force publicised its work.
