December 29, 2023
HONG KONG – Over 1,200 cases of online scams involving concert tickets were recorded in Hong Kong in the first 10 months of this year, resulting in a total loss of HK$11 million ($1.4 million). The number of cases surged 3.4 times year-on-year, while the total loss increased fourfold.
Ip Cheuk-yu, from the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force, told Radio Television Hong Kong that scammers often pressurize victims to transfer money by falsely claiming that the tickets are selling out quickly. However, once they receive payment, they vanish or provide counterfeit tickets.
Prior to making any transfers, buyers are advised to verify the sellers’ phone numbers and bank account information using the scam and pitfall search engine, Scameter, or its mobile application
According to Ip, the police investigate these scams by tracing the scammers’ digital footprints and monitoring fund flows. However, some scammers may use overseas platforms or open bank accounts or e-wallets with documents other than Hong Kong identity cards, and they leave Hong Kong after opening the accounts. This creates difficulties in making arrests.
However, he emphasized that the police will investigate any amount of money lost to scams, no matter how small.
The police urge the public to purchase concert tickets through official channels and, if using online platforms, to conduct face-to-face transactions. Prior to making any transfers, buyers are advised to verify the sellers’ phone numbers and bank account information using the scam and pitfall search engine, Scameter, or its mobile application.
In early December, a Hong Kong resident surnamed Chan (pseudonym) contacted a vendor on social media to purchase a ticket for a local concert. The seller claimed to offer a “Hong Kong resident discount” and provided identification documents and proof of address. After transferring HK$2,100, Chan was persuaded by the seller to buy a pricier ticket, RTHK reported.
However, Chan became suspicious when she noticed that the recipient’s name on the bank transfer did not match the name on the identification documents provided. Seeking police assistance, she was informed that the account was linked to multiple fraud cases.
In another scam case, the daughter of a woman surnamed Liu fell victim to scammers when she was purchasing a ticket for the Hong Kong concert of a popular South Korean girl group at the beginning of this year. She contacted a vendor on social media, who requested multiple transfers, citing various reasons such as issues with the bank account. Desperate for the ticket, Liu’s daughter transferred nearly HK$18,000 before realizing she had been scammed and called the police.