Hong Kong Extortion: 59 Victims, Over HK$1.9 Million Lost in Naked Chat Scams (image/pixabay)
An extortion scam targeted 59 Hong Kong residents, where male victims were lured into undressing during video chats and secretly recording them, resulting in losses exceeding HK$1.9 million (US $244,430), according to a South China Morning Post report.
As per police officials, the scam usually involves women extortionists who use the footage to force victims into paying large sums of money by threatening to share the videos online or with the victim’s family and friends.
Also Watch | Video: How ‘Parcel Or Courier Scam’ Works
In some instances, scammers may also pose as high-income, educated men to target women on social media platforms. The fraudsters gain the trust of their targets through manipulation, sweet talk, and flattery to learn about their personal information.
In their CyberDefender Facebook page, the police officials stated that they received 59 cases of naked-chat blackmail. Out of these, four cases involved female victims.
The number of cases reportedly witnessed a 50 percent increase from 1,402 in 2022 to 2,117 cases in 2023. In the first half of 2024, students comprised 20 percent of the victims. Losses have doubled from HK$22 million to HK$44 million.
Deception cases in Hong Kong have reportedly rose by 12 percent from 21,798 to 24,407 between January and July 2024. The number of losses also shot up to HK$5.14 billion during the period. More than 6,000 suspects have been arrested in connection with scams this year.
Also Read | Timeline Impact: Malayalam Actress Files FIR Against Fraudster For ‘Escort Service’ Claims
The police have requested citizens to exercise caution and vigilance while meeting people online. The officials emphasised the importance of verifying identities and profiles before engaging in intimate activities on video chats and to report suspicious activities immediately.
