A young man from the Chinese mainland last week fell victim to a “fake police” scam, incurring total losses of 2.7 million yuan (3.1 million patacas), Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Cheong Siu Keong said during a regular press conference yesterday.
According to Cheong, the Judiciary Police received a tip-off from the Chinese mainland’s Anti-Fraud Centre last Tuesday about a potential victim of a police impersonation scam. PJ officers subsequently contacted the individual, who told them that he had previously received a call from someone purporting to be a mainland police officer.
Cheong did not disclose the victim’s exact age, only describing him as a “young man” from the Chinese mainland. Nor did he reveal why and when the victim came to Macau.
Cheong noted that the caller accused the young man of involvement in several fraud cases and instructed him to cooperate with an online investigation. The scammer then persuaded him to disclose his online banking credentials and passwords, ostensibly for a “funds investigation”.
The victim followed the instructions, unaware that he was being duped. A total of about 2.7 million yuan was subsequently siphoned from his bank account.
The victim had failed to realise that he had been scammed even when officers initially made contact with him, Cheong added.
The case was subsequently handed over to the PJ Criminal Investigation Department for further action.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Cheong Siu Keong looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference. – Photo: Sherwin Hng
