Hong Kong woman loses HK$69m to scammers posing as mainland Chinese officials

43-year-old victim made multiple transfers after receiving calls from fraudsters claiming to be officials accusing her of committing a crime

A Hong Kong woman has been conned out of nearly HK$69 million (US8.8 million) in a month-long scam involving fraudsters posing as mainland Chinese officials.

Police said on Friday that the 43-year-old woman received calls from people claiming to be mainland law enforcement officers, who accused her of committing a crime and demanded money to prove her innocence.

The victim transferred about HK$68.9 million to designated bank accounts in multiple transactions between July 2 and August 1.

She contacted police on Wednesday after becoming suspicious.

The Western district crime squad is investigating the case. No arrests have been made.

Fake-official phone scams remain among the most common forms of financial deception in Hong Kong.