Latest Scam Alerts
Load Fraud by Drop Boxes
2021-01-19
Modus Operandi
Recently, victims received calls from fraudsters who posed as bank staff of loans department and claimed to offer loans at low interest rates. To increase the credibility of the scam, fraudsters used the identity of genuine bank staff and instructed the victims to enclose the loan application documents in an envelope addressing to the staff and submit it to the drop box at a bank branch. Later, fraudsters arranged to meet victims at fake law firms or other public places and lured them to pay guarantee fees for the loan applications, or misled them to apply loans at other financial intermediaries and deposit the loan payment to designated accounts. After that, fraudsters would vanish into thin air. The victims then contacted the genuine bank staff for enquiries and found that the bank staff had not handled any loan application for the victims.
Our Advice
- Members of the public could authenticate calls purportedly from banks on the website of the Hong Kong Association of Banks at Hong Kong Association of Banks ;
- Bank staff would never refer customers to law firms to complete loan applications, or to other loan intermediaries to apply for loans or sign any documents;
- Bank staff would not ask customers to complete loan applications or sign contracts at places other than bank branches;
- Before signing any contract or documents, make sure you fully understand the contents and details;
- If in doubt, please call the Anti-Scam Helpline 18222.