Hong Kong Police Warn After Online Shopping Scams Cost Residents Fourteen Million Dollars in First Week of 2026
Authorities report nearly three hundred fraud cases in early January and urge both buyers and sellers to exercise caution in digital marketplaces
More than two hundred and seventy online shopping fraud cases have cost Hong Kong residents nearly fourteen million Hong Kong dollars in the first week of two thousand twenty-six, prompting a police alert urging heightened vigilance among internet users and marketplace participants.
The city’s law enforcement received two hundred and seventy-six reports of online shopping scams between January fifth and January eleventh, with an average daily loss of around two million Hong Kong dollars, according to official figures.
In one reported case, a twenty-six-year-old man attempting to sell a suitcase on the online platform Carousell was targeted by a fraudster posing as a buyer.
After initial resistance to entering his details on a phishing website, the seller was persuaded to contact an individual claiming to be a Carousell customer service representative, who demanded a deposit payment before releasing the sale proceeds.
The victim subsequently transferred two hundred and ten thousand Hong Kong dollars in two transactions, only to discover the request was part of a scam.
Police have warned both consumers and those selling goods on the internet to be cautious when interacting with unsolicited links or requests for personal and financial information.
They reiterated that scammers often use falsified third-party payment links and deceptive customer service contacts to lure victims into transferring funds under false pretences.
As online commerce continues to grow in popularity, authorities stressed the importance of verifying the authenticity of buyers, sellers and payment channels to safeguard personal finances and avoid falling victim to sophisticated digital fraud schemes.
The city’s law enforcement received two hundred and seventy-six reports of online shopping scams between January fifth and January eleventh, with an average daily loss of around two million Hong Kong dollars, according to official figures.
In one reported case, a twenty-six-year-old man attempting to sell a suitcase on the online platform Carousell was targeted by a fraudster posing as a buyer.
After initial resistance to entering his details on a phishing website, the seller was persuaded to contact an individual claiming to be a Carousell customer service representative, who demanded a deposit payment before releasing the sale proceeds.
The victim subsequently transferred two hundred and ten thousand Hong Kong dollars in two transactions, only to discover the request was part of a scam.
Police have warned both consumers and those selling goods on the internet to be cautious when interacting with unsolicited links or requests for personal and financial information.
They reiterated that scammers often use falsified third-party payment links and deceptive customer service contacts to lure victims into transferring funds under false pretences.
As online commerce continues to grow in popularity, authorities stressed the importance of verifying the authenticity of buyers, sellers and payment channels to safeguard personal finances and avoid falling victim to sophisticated digital fraud schemes.
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