Hong Kong warns of fraudulent phone calls posting as central bank staff

The fraudsters would request banking details in the guise of canceling a fake membership.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has warned against fraudulent phone calls from individuals posing as HKMA and bank staff.

According to HKMA, there have been reports of phone calls from a person claiming to have obtained approval from HKMA to debit their accounts as a fee for purportedly applying for membership in a company.

The employee will then transfer the call to fraudsters posing as HKMA or bank staff and request personal information such as online banking and credit card details from the public.

“The HKMA would like to remind the public that the HKMA will not contact the public with regard to personal financial matters. The public is also reminded not to provide any sensitive personal information before verifying the caller’s identity,” HKMA said in a press statement published on its official website.

Members of the public who have become victims of any fraudulent acts are urged to contact the Commercial and Technology Crime Hotline of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012 for follow-up actions and investigation by the oolice.