Beware of Phone Scammers Impersonating Customer Service Staff of Taobao

2024-05-20

Defrauding Tricks

Recently, the Police have received reports from members of the public about calls from scammers claiming themselves as Taobao staff. The scammers falsely claimed that the recipients had become Taobao’s 88VIP members and handling charges were required for cancellation of their membership. The calls were then forwarded to other scammers posing as bank staff who claimed that they could help cancel the membership. The scammers lured the victims to provide information on their bank cards and credit cards and falsely claimed that their bank accounts would be frozen. The victims were instructed to transfer their savings to specific bank accounts and suffered pecuniary losses.

Our Advice

• Authentic customer service staff of Taobao will only contact customers with the following three designated phone numbers: 

        +852 25718031, +852 25718089 and +852 30183610; 

• Authentic customer service staff of Taobao will not instruct customers to pay outside the Taobao app or transfer money to other bank accounts;

• If application for return of goods is successful on the Taobao system, the refund will be made by the method of payment; 

• Do not believe the scammers’ identities simply by the phone numbers they provide. You are advised to verify their identities by making enquiries to relevant organisations;

• If you receive calls purportedly from staff of any organisations, you should verify their identities by calling the contact numbers shown on official websites;

• You may enter the suspicious information on “Scameter” or “Scameter+”, the mobile app of “Scameter”, for security check;

• Remind your relatives and friends to stay vigilant against deception;

• If in doubt, please call the “Anti-Scam Helpline 18222” for enquiries.