Scams and fraud: how to spot and report them

What is the Anti-Scam Helpline 18222, and is it where I report a scam?#

No. The Anti-Scam Helpline 18222 is run by the Police Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC), which began operating on 20 July 2017. The ADCC says the line gives anti-deception consultation around the clock, and that the hotline only provides consultation.

If you suspect you have fallen prey to a scam, the ADCC says to report the case at the nearest police station, and to dial 999 in an emergency. Emergency numbers are covered in the Emergency and safety guide.

None of the official pages we read says what to have ready when you call, which languages the operators speak, or whether the call is free.

I think I have been scammed. What do I do now?#

The HKMA says that if you suspect you paid a swindler through the Faster Payment System, report to the Police and also contact your bank or e-wallet operator, which will assist the Police. It says FPS money reaches the recipient account instantly. CyberDefender says to save the relevant emails or messages.

The Police e-Report Centre takes reports on the Police website, in the Hong Kong Police Mobile Application and at police station kiosks, in English, Traditional Chinese or Simplified Chinese. It needs an HKPF Digital Services Logon or iAM Smart login, and emails an acknowledgement about 15 minutes later. If none arrives, call 2860-2000.

What is Scameter and how do I use it?#

Scameter is the Police scam and pitfall search engine on the CyberDefender site. You enter a phone number, email address, URL, payment account, platform username or ID, IP address or hash value, and it shows a risk rating. The Scameter+ app is offered on the App Store, Google Play, Huawei AppGallery and the Honor App Market.

Results are red (high risk), orange (possible risk), yellow (potential risk) or purple (no record). CyberDefender says no record does not mean risk free. In the app you can report a suspicious message with a screenshot, and the details go to the Police for verification.

Which scams do the Police name?#

The ADCC files its scam alerts under 11 headings: e-shopping fraud, email scam, employment fraud, financial intermediaries deception, investment fraud, miscellaneous deception, naked chat scam, romance scam, social media deception, street deception and telephone deception.

The Police recorded 43,212 deception cases in 2025, 2.9% fewer than in 2024, with losses of about HK$8.1 billion. E-shopping fraud was the most common, with 12,505 cases. Online investment fraud caused the highest losses, 44.1% of the total. The sections below take the main types in turn.

A caller says I broke the law, as immigration, police or the Mainland authorities. Is it real?#

On 14 October 2026 the ADCC described "pretend official" calls: callers pose as the Immigration Department, Public Security or the ICAC, accurately state your name, ID or study details, accuse you of money laundering and pass you to fake police who demand money and secrecy.

The Police say Mainland Public Security officers will not call you in Hong Kong to handle cases: hang up, do not call back. Other alerts cite fake police uniforms on video calls (11 November 2025) and +86, +67 or +447 numbers (4 August 2025). On 20 September 2023 the Immigration Department said it makes no pre-recorded calls to people who have not opted in.

Someone says they are from the ADCC. Is that real?#

The ADCC says it contacts the public by phone or WhatsApp only to issue scam alerts. It lists three nevers (21 August 2025): it will never send warrant card photos, never help you file complaints, and never tell you to make transfers or give online banking passwords. It says its officers will only ask victims to meet at police stations.

Under its scheme with banks, the ADCC also sends SMS from the registered sender ID #ADCC18222. It says these messages never contain hyperlinks. If you doubt a caller, call 18222.

Someone says they are my bank, courier or shopping app and wants a code. What is that?#

The ADCC calls this "impersonating customer service". In its alert of 14 October 2026, callers or texts claiming to be a bank, telecom operator or shopping platform cite an account problem, an order problem or a refund. They ask you to move to WhatsApp or a video call, or to share your screen, then get you to type a "verification code" into the transfer-amount box of your banking app. The Police recorded 4,440 such telephone cases in 2025.

On 25 November 2025 the ADCC also warned of unsolicited courier packages holding a "lucky draw" ticket with a QR code, and asked the public not to scan it.

A caller says "guess who I am", or a relative suddenly asks for money. What is that?#

The ADCC warned on 13 July 2026 about "Guess Who" scams, which mainly hit older people and are rising. A caller gives no name and lets you guess, then takes that identity. Or scammers hijack a messaging account and ask its contacts for money.

The ADCC says to verify the caller's identity however familiar the voice, by calling back directly or meeting in person. It says to be careful with transfers to unfamiliar accounts, and not to hand cash to a "friend" or "lawyer" who comes to collect it. If in doubt, call 18222.

How can I tell a real SMS from a fake one?#

Look at the sender ID. Since 28 December 2023, organisations that join the OFCA SMS Sender Registration Scheme send from IDs starting with "#", listed in a public registry. The scheme covers only Hong Kong mobile numbers within Hong Kong. Organisations that have not joined send without "#", so their identity is not verified. Registered senders may use digit-only IDs for messages meant for a phone reply.

OFCA says to stay vigilant either way, and never to open a link, give a one-time password or transfer money to an unidentified sender. The ADCC said on 28 May 2026 that a genuine eTraffic Ticket SMS shows "#HKPF-eTT" and contains no hyperlink.

How do I avoid online shopping and second-hand scams?#

The Police say e-shopping fraud was the most common deception in 2025, with 12,505 cases. CyberDefender lists signs of a suspect shop: a page only days or weeks old, no address or phone number, paid reviews and photos copied from other shops. The Consumer Council said on 15 March 2022 that some sellers ask for payment into personal bank accounts and then disappear.

For sellers, the ADCC alert of 4 May 2026 names fake payment-confirmation emails, fake links that turn an "OTP" into a transfer, and bounced cheques. It advises a face-to-face cash deal first.

A shop or seller cheated me. Is it a crime, and who can help?#

A bad deal is not always a crime. The Police visitor page says officers can only investigate where criminal deception is suspected, for example a false or misleading description of the item. It says the Consumer Council may be willing to take up civil or other action.

The Consumer Council says to negotiate with the shop and, if that fails, complain to it: phone (852) 2929 2222, Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:30, or its e-form. It also explains credit card chargeback: if you paid by card and the merchant fails to deliver, you contact the card issuer. The Council says success varies.

An online friend or an ad offers a sure investment. Is it a scam?#

This matches patterns the Police describe. CyberDefender says fake investment apps show false profits, then demand fees or claim a "system failure" when you try to cash out. In romance scams you never meet the person, and the "pig-butchering" version moves to a fake investment site.

The ADCC statistics page says online investment fraud caused the highest 2025 losses, 44.1% of the total. Its 23 February 2026 alert counts 5,717 investment scam cases for 2025, but its statistics page counts 5,135, so we give no total. In WhatsApp, the ADCC says, setting Privacy, Groups to "My contacts" stops strangers adding you to groups.

How do I check an investment firm before I pay?#

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) keeps two lists. Its Alert List names entities that are unlicensed in Hong Kong and believed to target Hong Kong investors, including fake regulators and suspicious websites. The SFC says the list is not comprehensive and is an early warning, not a substitute for your own checks.

Its public register lists licensed individuals and corporations, searchable by name or CE number. In a warning last updated on 26 October 2023 the SFC says a request to transfer money to a personal bank account or digital wallet is most likely a fraud. We do not copy firm names here; use the lists.

Could a video call or a clip of a famous person be fake?#

Yes. In a Legislative Council reply of 26 June 2024 the Secretary for Security said the Police had noticed deepfakes used to impersonate government officials or celebrities to promote suspicious investments, and fake "boss" video conferences.

The Police suggest asking the person to turn their head up, down, left and right and watching for abnormalities; testing them with details from your conversation; phoning a relative or friend to check a money request sent by video or recording; and avoiding unknown video calls. If in doubt, they say to use Scameter or call 18222.

What do banks say they will never ask for?#

The HKMA says banks will not send SMS or email messages with links that take you to their websites or apps to carry out transactions, and will not ask for login passwords or one-time passwords (OTPs) through links. It says banks will not ask for sensitive personal information, including passwords, by phone or email.

The HKMA lists hotlines for checking whether a caller is a bank representative, and keeps a public Scam Alert list. For cards, it says not to disclose your card number, expiry date, security code or OTP, and that once an OTP is entered the transaction may not be cancelled.

What safeguards can I switch on or expect?#

The High Risk Alert: if the payee's account, phone number, email or FPS identifier is labelled "High Risk" in Scameter, participating banks and e-wallet operators show a warning. The HKMA announced wider coverage on 1 August 2024, and the Police say it was extended to ATMs from 8 December 2024. No alert does not mean a safe payment, and it covers only local accounts. The Police say to stop and not to ask the payee.

Money Safe: you lock part of your deposits, which cannot move until you visit your bank for a face-to-face check. Banks must release within 3 working days. Some set a minimum of up to HK$10,000.

If money leaves my account, does the bank pay me back?#

It depends on whether you authorised the payment. The HKMA says that for an unauthorised transaction, such as a hacked account, the Code of Banking Practice means the customer is not liable unless they acted fraudulently or with gross negligence. For a credit card, report an unauthorised transaction within 60 days of the statement date.

If you authorised the payment after being deceived, such as in a romance scam, the HKMA wrote on 26 September 2025 that the responsibility to verify lies with the customer, while banks should have effective anti-scam measures. It began consulting banks that day on a framework for such claims.

How do I spot a fake job offer?#

The Labour Department lists common traps: pyramid selling, talent-scout scams, fees for registration, data processing or training, theft of personal data, and fraudulent online recruitment. It says employees are normally not required to pay fees when they take up a job.

The ADCC warned students on 30 March 2026 about "research assistant" posts on LinkedIn. It says all part-time jobs requiring advance payments are risky, and that "task management apps" usually are not on the official app stores. In 2025, 96.5% of online employment fraud was "click farming". Agency fees and licences are in the Working in Hong Kong guide.

Can I lend or sell my bank account for a job or commission?#

The HKMA says not to sell or lend your account to anyone. It says syndicates offer quick money for accounts and use them as "stooge accounts" to launder fraud proceeds, and that you risk committing a money laundering offence, with a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment and a fine of HK$5 million.

The Labour Department's domestic helper site links a Police leaflet titled "Say NO to lending or selling bank account". Account opening is covered in the Banking and money guide.

How do I avoid a fake flat listing?#

The ADCC alert of 23 July 2025 says tenancy agreements, payment authorisations and ID screenshots can be forged and mixed with genuine property search papers. Police advice: use a licensed estate agent in Hong Kong and inspect the flat in person; ask for the agent's full name and licence number and check them on the Estate Agents Authority Licence List; real ads show the agent's company name and licence number.

The ADCC says rental scams aimed at Mainland students use low prices or discounts, such as an "advance pay yearly for a 20% discount" offer. Tenancy law is in the Renting guide.

Can I get my money back?#

None of the official pages we read promises it. The Government told the Legislative Council on 24 June 2026 that people can bring civil cases to the Small Claims Tribunal, the District Court or the Court of First Instance, depending on the amount. It said making service providers compensate fraud victims is not common in other jurisdictions.

The same reply says the Police's bank scheme, launched in May 2023, prevented 7,987 fraud cases up to March 2026. On 3 February 2026 the ADCC warned of scammers posing as the ADCC on WhatsApp who say your money was recovered and ask you to "make refunds".

What could we not confirm?#

We could not confirm what to have ready for 18222, its languages or its cost. We found no current official description of how a stop payment is triggered or how fast it must be; the only one is an HKMA article of 6 October 2022 saying retail banks run 24/7 stop payment on Police intelligence.

We found no outcome of the HKMA consultation on loss sharing for authorised payments. We could not tell whether a visitor can register for the e-Report login. The e-Report Centre address itself did not open on 27 October 2026 because of a certificate error.