WhatsApp account hijacking scams in Hong Kong increased by approximately 170% to nearly 2,000 cases within the first seven months of the year, with one victim sustaining losses of up to HK$12.2 million (US$1.55 million).
Police reported 1,993 cases logged from January to July, representing a 169.7% increase from the 739 cases recorded over the same period last year, and surpassing the 1,669 cases documented throughout the previous year.
Total losses from these incidents amounted to HK$146.3 million, a 22.7% decrease from HK$189.2 million over the same period last year, though authorities emphasized that individual losses remained severe.
Despite the overall decline in reported losses, police warned the threat persists, noting that some victims suffered losses ranging from HK$1 million to over HK$10 million.
“The surge in cases is linked to residents’ habits of using these social media and instant messaging platforms,” said Superintendent Hui Yee-wai of the force’s cyber security and technology crime bureau.
Furthermore, artificial intelligence plays a significant role; every scam involved counterfeit websites, and AI has made generating such fake sites considerably easier.
