A SURGE in phone scams has prompted Hong Kong police to arrest 61 suspects in a major anti-fraud operation, as authorities revealed that victims lost more than HK$720 million (about RM376 million) in the first five months of 2026.
The operation, codenamed “Pebblepace”, uncovered 54 suspected scam cases, with many involving the “guess who I am” tactic where criminals impersonated relatives, officials, bank representatives and business contacts to deceive victims into handing over money.
SCMP reported on Saturday that the the suspects, aged between 17 and 82, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud, obtaining property by deception and money laundering.
Chief Inspector Ho Ming-wai said police recorded 3,766 phone scam cases between January and May, marking a 46 per cent rise from the same period last year.
Total financial losses surged even faster, increasing 66 per cent year-on-year to HK$720 million.
“Among the phone scams, the most common tactic of scammers was posing as customer service representatives, accounting for 40 per cent of the cases,” Ho said.
She highlighted a case involving a 56-year-old man who was tricked into transferring HK$3 million after being falsely told he had purchased an insurance policy.
“We’ve found that most of these cash-on-delivery phone scams mainly target the elderly,” she said.
“Police would like to remind elderly residents that if they receive a call from a stranger, they must remain calm. They can then verify the situation by visiting or calling relatives and friends, or by discussing it with someone trustworthy.”
Police said 10 cases involved 22 elderly victims who received calls from fraudsters pretending to be relatives in urgent need of money for bail payments or medical expenses.
The victims were instructed to prepare cash payments, which were later collected by individuals sent by the scammers.
Authorities also revealed that the largest single loss involved fraudsters allegedly using technology to manipulate caller identification systems, making it appear that the call originated from an overseas company executive requesting an urgent transfer.
The victim transferred HK$14.5 million before the deception was discovered.
The “guess who I am” scam category alone accounted for 1,385 cases during the first five months of the year, representing a 93 per cent increase from the previous year and causing HK$95 million in losses.
Inspector Lung Wai-kuen from the district technology and financial crime squad said police had also dismantled a phone scam syndicate accused of defrauding 241 victims of HK$2 million.
Five suspects aged between 22 and 39 were arrested, including the alleged mastermind and core members, some of whom were suspected to have triad connections.
“Since September last year, the syndicate had been operating a scam centre inside an industrial building,” Lung said.
“They made cold calls to victims, posing as financial company or bank employees, and lured them with promises of low-interest loans.”
Police seized mobile phones, computers, SIM cards, documents containing scam scripts and advertisements during the operation.
Investigators also uncovered more than 1,000 pieces of personal information, including names, phone numbers and identity card details believed to have been used by the syndicate.
Ho warned that scammers were constantly refining their methods, including impersonating government officials and using advanced technology to create convincing false identities.
“There were also scams involving fraudsters posing as government officials. We urge residents to stay calm if they suspect anything,” she said.
“And remember not to casually give out your personal information before checking callers’ identities.”
Police urged residents to remain cautious when receiving unexpected calls, verify requests for money through trusted channels and avoid disclosing personal information until the caller’s identity has been confirmed. - July 18, 2026
