Elderly Man Loses HK$5 Million in Fake App Scam
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A retired man in his 80s in Hong Kong fell victim to an online investment scam after clicking a fake link in a pop-up advertisement while browsing the internet in June.
He then downloaded a bogus mobile application impersonating the cryptocurrency platform Trust Wallet and opened an account.
Scammers later contacted him while pretending to be customer service staff and lured him with promises of high returns and big profits from cryptocurrency investment.
Over about one and a half months, he transferred Ethereum worth more than HK$5 million to wallets designated by the fraudsters, wiping out his life savings.
Key Points
- Police said the case involved a fake app online investment scam publicised on the CyberDefender Facebook page on July 17.
- The victim clicked a counterfeit pop-up advertisement link in June and downloaded a fake app posing as Trust Wallet.
- Fraudsters posing as customer service representatives persuaded him to invest with claims of high returns and substantial profits.
- Following instructions, he withdrew cash from a bank, bought Ethereum through a crypto exchange shop, and made repeated transfers.
- He discovered the scam only after he could not withdraw funds from the fake app and the supposed customer service contact vanished.
Why It Matters
The case shows how investment fraud can combine fake advertisements, impersonated apps and direct contact from bogus support staff to exploit older internet users.
For Hong Kong families, the police warning points to the need to pay closer attention to elderly relatives' online habits and financial movements before losses escalate.