‘Funds needed for investigation’: Woman transfers ₹3.28 cr after scammer claims bank a/c linked to ‘money laundering’

A 66-year-old Hong Kong woman fell prey to scammers who wiped around HK$2.7 million (approximately ₹3.27 crore) from her bank account. The woman, a resident of Sau Mau Ping, told police on Saturday that she had received a phone call earlier in October from a scammer who claimed that she had been involved in money laundering, the South China Morning Post reported.

The scammer told the 66-year-old that the account she used to purchase insurance online was under scrutiny over suspected illicit financial transactions. The caller then convinced her to transfer funds into designated bank accounts for investigation purposes.

Woman transfers ₹3.27 crore before suspecting fraud, approaches police

Oblivious to the fact that the caller was a scammer, the woman transferred money into one of the specified accounts. She initially transferred HK$2 million ( ₹2.42 crore) and later made another transfer of HK$700,000 ( ₹84.7 lakh), taking her total losses to approximately HK$2.7 million ( ₹3.27 crore).

After making the transfers, she sensed that something was amiss, prompting her to lodge a police complaint and report the incident.

Authorities have registered the case as one of deception. No arrests had been reported at the time of reporting.

The incident follows a fraud pattern previously flagged by Hong Kong’s Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC). In such scams, fraudsters pose as bank staff or law enforcement officials and accuse unsuspecting individuals of being involved in illegal financial activities.

How do fraudsters carry out such scams?

In an earlier public advisory, the ADCC cautioned residents about scammers who falsely claim that their bank accounts have been linked to suspicious transactions or money laundering activities.

The fraudsters may then instruct victims to transfer their money into designated bank accounts, claiming that the transaction is necessary to resolve the alleged financial offence or assist with an investigation.

Hong Kong police issue warning against suspicious calls

Authorities have repeatedly clarified that genuine law enforcement officials never ask individuals to move money into specific bank accounts as part of an investigation.

Residents have been urged to verify suspicious phone calls independently instead of trusting claims made by unidentified callers.

Hong Kong Police also run a 24-hour Anti-Scam Helpline, 18222, through which people can seek assistance if they suspect they are being targeted by fraudsters.

Anyone who believes they have fallen victim to such a scam has been advised to report the incident to the police. Further details about the helpline are available on the ADCC website.