A local male secondary student was blackmailed when visiting Hong Kong, resulting in a total loss of HK$6,500 (6,700 patacas), Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Wai Lok said during a regular press conference yesterday.
According to Ho, the police received a report on Tuesday morning from the student, who said that when he was visiting Hong Kong last Saturday afternoon he received a WhatsApp message, in which the sender claimed to be the member of a triad gang and sent three photos depicting injured and bleeding body parts. The sender then threatened to attack the victim, asserting that the gang had obtained his personal information, and demanded that he purchase a HK$1,000 gift card from a nearby 7-11 convenience store.
Ho noted that the victim complied with the demand. The victim purchased a HK$1,000 gift card and sent a photo of the barcode to the sender. After receiving the barcode, the sender continued to threaten the victim, demanding an additional HK$5,500 in gift cards. The victim purchased a total of HK$6,500 in gift cards and sent the corresponding barcodes to the sender, but the extortion persisted.
Ho added that the victim initially contacted the Hong Kong police for consultation, and after discussing the matter with his father, they decided to return to Macau and finally reported the total loss of HK$6,500 to the police on Tuesday.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Wai Lok looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference. – Photo: Ada Lei
