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Beware of Bogus Solicitors Claiming to Offer Assistance in Recovering Losses but Actually Running Another Scam
2024-10-22

Beware of Bogus Solicitors Claiming to Offer Assistance in Recovering Losses but Actually Running Another Scam

Defrauding Tricks

Recently, there are scam victims who read an advertisement of a fraudulent law firm, falsely claiming that they could help recover victims’ previous fraud losses, on an online platform. The scam victims believed it and contacted the scammers for assistance.

 

The two parties then communicated with each other via WhatsApp. The bogus solicitors told the victims that they had got in touch with the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre and had traced the defrauded money to The Sands Casino, where it had been laundered, and could not be recovered under normal regulations. The victims were suggested to join the instant messaging group “Cyber Task Force on Loss Recovery” and follow the instructions to download a “Sands Macao Entertainment” app, which would enable them to trace the defrauded money so as to get it back. The victims were then asked by a bogus customer service to transfer money to designated bank accounts as service charges, and suffered pecuniary losses once again.

 

Our Advice

  • Do not hastily believe online advertisements or the results shown at the top of search engine result pages;

  • Do not hastily believe any pages or advertisements claiming to assist in recovery of fraud losses;

  • Before seeking assistance from professionals, you are advised to find out their backgrounds and professional qualifications. You may search solicitors’ information on the website of the Law Society of Hong Kong;

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

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