Hong Kong Student in France Loses Money, Home to Scam
On.cc · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
A Hong Kong parent seeking housing for her daughter in Paris says a supposed landlord tricked the family into sending 2,700 euros, about HK$25,000, as proof of financial means for a rental application . The money was remitted through a designated international transfer company to the daughter's name, and the family also provided a passport copy, current tenancy contract and remittance receipt . The mother, identified as Karen, later discovered that the alleged landlord had collected the funds in France on June 15 using the passport copy and the transfer control number, then disappeared . Hong Kong Customs said it has received a report and is following up, while Western Union said its investigation found no breach of know-your-customer or other compliance obligations .
Key Points
- Karen's daughter is about to begin her second year at university in Paris, and the family had been trying to secure accommodation since June .
- The fake landlord asked for 2,700 euros to be sent via a specified remittance company as “proof of financial capacity” for the student tenant .
- Karen said she believed the request was normal because Paris student housing is highly competitive and the named recipient was her own daughter .
- The suspect allegedly withdrew the money in France on June 15 using only a passport photocopy and the remittance control number .
- A study-abroad consultant warned that requests to use a specific remittance company are fraudulent in about 90% of cases .
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong families sending children overseas, the case points to a double risk in cross-border study arrangements: losing money while also exposing identity documents that may be misused later . It also raises questions about how remittance payouts are verified abroad and whether parents arranging rentals remotely are especially vulnerable in tight student housing markets such as Paris and London .