Hong Kong police: In 2025, received 12,505 cases of online shopping fraud, with the largest case involving losses of over 3.7 million Hong Kong dollars in cryptocurrency

According to the Hong Kong Commercial Daily, the Hong Kong police reported that in 2025, they received a total of 12,505 online shopping fraud cases, an increase of 8.2% compared to 2024. The online shopping fraud case with the largest single loss amount involved cryptocurrency trading. The victim joined a Telegram cryptocurrency trading group and received a private chat from a member impersonating Bittwatt (BWT) customer service, requesting a "verification code" as group entry verification. Subsequently, the fraudster transferred all virtual assets from the victim's cryptocurrency wallet connected to Telegram, resulting in a total loss of over HKD 3.7 million.

The police remind that when shopping online, one should contact customer service through official channels. Regardless of the form of transfer, it is essential to verify authenticity before making any payment and to carefully check payment information. Do not click on unknown or suspicious links.