BlockBeats news, on January 5, reported by Phoenix Network, that the Hong Kong police recently dismantled a scam group that used deepfake technology to lure others into investing in virtual currency through social media, involving approximately 34 million HKD.
According to intelligence, Hong Kong police's Commercial Crime Bureau arrested 31 people, aged between 20 and 34, some reported to be students and unemployed, in two industrial buildings in Kowloon Bay last Thursday and Friday, involved in the same scam group, and seized the 'scripts' they had prepared.
Hong Kong police stated that the group recruits young people who want to 'make quick money' to join, training them to set up accounts on dating platforms with fake personas, pretending to have good looks and a luxurious lifestyle, meeting people from abroad including Taiwan and East Asia, and chatting according to a 'script'. After understanding the other party's background, they cater to their interests and develop into online lovers, even conducting video calls using deepfake technology, and then luring the other party to invest in virtual currency, claiming substantial returns, and asking for deposits into fake platforms. Once the group receives the virtual currency, they will immediately transfer it away and cut off contact with the victims.
The police stated that this scam group has been operating for at least a year, with criminal profits exceeding 34 million HKD.
Hong Kong's Commercial Crime Bureau Acting Senior Superintendent Kong Hing-hun stated: 'They rented two scam centers located next to industrial buildings in Kowloon Bay to disperse risks and increase confidentiality. The most important thing is that we noticed these two scam centers operate in two shifts, aiming to continuously attract more victims day and night. Do not think that participating in some tasks of a criminal group is trivial; even if you are only arranged to meet victims online and have no direct contact with virtual currency investment work, it is still illegal.'
Hong Kong police remind that conspiracy to commit fraud is a serious crime, and upon conviction, the maximum penalty can be fourteen years of imprisonment. Some victims are located overseas, and the scam platforms are not based in Hong Kong; they will cooperate with overseas law enforcement agencies to continue the investigation.
According to reports, the mastermind of the scam group, the center head, and core members, a total of 5 people, have been charged with conspiracy to defraud and money laundering, and appeared in the Eastern District Court on Monday.