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An 81-year-old woman in Hong Kong has lost more than HK$5 million after falling victim to an elaborate online romance scam involving a fraudster who posed as a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officer from mainland China. In a post on its CyberDefender social media page on Monday, police said the woman received a WhatsApp message from a man who claimed to be a PLA officer and invited her to visit a military camp. They quickly built an online romantic relationship through frequent affectionate messages. The scammer later said he wanted to leave the military and start a business, asking the woman to provide financial support. She followed his instructions and made multiple deposits into a designated bank account. The deception escalated when another individual, posing as the scammer’s “superior”, contacted the woman and informed her that the man had died, with a claim that the deceased had left behind an inheritance of over HK$9 million for her. But she would need to pay various fees to claim it. The woman continued to transfer money until her life savings were depleted. It was only after confiding in her son that that woman realised she had been scammed. Her total losses exceeded HK$5 million. In the past 10 days alone, more than 40 online romance scams had been reported, with total losses nearing HK$40 million, according to police. Over 40 per cent of the victims were aged 55 or above, accounting for more than HK$24 million in losses. “Loneliness is often the vulnerability exploited in online romance scams,” police warned. “Families should spend more time with elderly relatives so they will not easily fall for sweet talk from strangers.” The force also urged the public to pay attention to the internet habits of older family members, regularly share updates on scam tactics, and encourage them to consult their loved ones before making financial transactions.
