Reprinted from the Federation of Hong Kong Industries’ publication ‘Hong Kong Industrialist’ (Nov 2023 – Jan 2024 issue), Original Article; For knowledge sharing purposes. For copyright issues, please contact us.
本文轉載自香港工業總會刊物《Hong Kong Industrialist》（Nov 2023 – Jan 2024刊期），原文；本轉載旨在分享知識與信息，如有侵權，請聯繫我們進行處理。
In recent years, scams have been a major concern in Hong Kong society, with online scams being the fastest-growing type of scams. Scammers take advantage of human nature’s weakness of greed and trick victims into making investments without thorough understanding, causing investors to suffer huge financial losses.
近年來，騙案一直是香港社會關注的焦點，而網上騙案，尤其是投資騙案，是近年增長最迅速的一類騙案。騙徒利用人性貪心的弱點，誘騙受害人於未經深入了解的情況下便作出投資，令投資者蒙受巨額的金錢損失。
According to statistics from the Police, there were a total of 3,523 online investment scams in the first three quarters of 2023, more than 1.5 times the number in the same period of 2022. These scams accounted for about 12% of all scams and involved losses exceeding HK$ 2.1 billion.
根據警務處的統計數據，在2023年第一至三季，共錄得3,523宗網上投資騙案，比2022年同期上升超過1.5倍，佔整體騙案約12%，損失超過21億港元。
These scams cover a wide range of investment areas, including stocks, foreign exchange, cryptocurrencies, etc. The scammers use various defrauding tricks such as fraudulent emails, fraudulent websites, fraudulent links, social media platforms, instant messaging apps, etc. They also employ psychological techniques to gain investors’ trust and deceive them out of their funds, leading to unnecessary losses for countless investors.
這些騙案涉及各種投資領域，包括股票、外匯、加密貨幣等，而騙徒的手法亦不斷演變，會透過不同的平台和渠道，包括電郵、虛假網站、虛假連結、社交媒體、通訊軟件等來接觸市民，並利用心理技巧來獲取投資者的信任騙取金錢，令無數投資者蒙受龐大損失。
Although scammers use different platforms to attract investors, the approach is basically the same. First, the scammers impersonate successful investors or professional financial practitioners on social media. They attract investors by sharing misleading investment advice, trading signals, and other means. In fact, the scammers have already purchased a large number of stocks at low prices. When the victims buy the stocks and ramp up the share price, the scammers will then dump all of their shares.
雖然騙徒手法層出不窮，但其實過程都是千篇一律。首先，騙徒會冒充成功的投資者或專業金融從業人員，通過分享虛假的投資建議、交易信號等方式來吸引投資者，實際上騙徒早在低位大量入貨，當受害人買入股票推高股價後，騙徒隨即沽貨離場。
On the other hand, some scammers create seemingly professional and reliable investment platforms claiming to offer “high returns, low risk” investment projects to attract investors. On these fraudulent trading platforms, they use forged trading records and customer reviews to deceive investors into believing that the platforms are legal and of large scale. Actually, there are no such investment records. Sometimes, scammers will issue small returns early in the transaction to deceive the victim’s trust and induce the victim to increase the amount invested. When victims try to withdraw their profits, the “fake customer service” will delay the payments with various excuses eg, accounts are frozen, fines are required due to violation of trading regulations, or a top-up is required for withdrawal, so as to lure the victims to invest more. Ultimately, the victims suffer significant losses.
另一方面，部份騙徒會創建一些看似專業和可靠的投資平台，聲稱能夠提供「高回報、低風險」的投資項目去吸引投資者投資。而在這些虛假交易平台中，騙徒通常會使用偽造的交易記錄和客戶評論來誘騙投資者，令投資者相信該平台是一個正當而有規模的交易平台，但事實上這些投資並不存在。有時候，騙徒在交易的初期會發放小額回報騙取受害人的信任，再誘使受害人加大投資金額。其後，當受害人想套現獲利時，「假客戶服務員」會以不同藉口推搪，例如聲稱受害人的投資戶口被凍結、投資涉及違規操作需繳交罰款，或者需要充值到某金額才可套現等，誘騙受害人再投放資金。但最終受害人未能取回投資資金，蒙受巨額損失。
The underlying tricks of these scams are similar, and their patterns can be identified. Individuals should stay vigilant and not consider all investment opportunities they encounter online as genuine and trustworthy. If individuals understand basic investment knowledge and risk management principles, they can better evaluate investment opportunities and avoid falling into scams.
其實，騙徒的技倆只是「新瓶舊酒」而已，不難看出其中的端倪。首先，市民不應輕易相信從網上看到或由陌生人推薦的投資機會，應時刻保持警覺，瞭解基本的投資知識和緊守風險管理原則評估投資風險，避免墜入騙局。
Before making any investments, individuals should ensure that the relevant investment institutions or platforms have relevant licences. Individuals can refer to the website of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) for public register of licensed persons and registered institutions. The SFC website also has a list of virtual asset trading platforms that have been licensed or are applying for licenses in Hong Kong. Individuals can check relevant information before making investments.
另外，市民應透過已註冊的投資機構進行投資。市民可於證券及期貨事務監察委員會（證監會）網頁查閱持牌人及註冊機構的公眾紀錄冊。現時，證監會網站亦設有在香港已獲發牌或申請牌照中的虛擬資產交易平台名單，市民在作投資時可先查閱相關資訊。
Additionally, during the investment process, individuals should avoid transferring funds to personal bank accounts and be cautious when making transfer in cryptocurrencies. If you suspect that an investment opportunity carries risks, you should not take it.
最後，在投資過程中，市民要避免將本金轉帳至個人銀行戶口，如要透過加密貨幣轉帳便應更加審慎。如果懷疑某個投資存在風險，最好的做法是避免投資。
In summary, maintaining vigilance and exercising caution are crucial for protecting oneself in online investments. You can subscribe Scam Alert email notification at Anti-Deception Coordination Centre website to receive latest scam prevention information. You can also install the one-stop scam and pitfall search engine mobile application, Scameter+, or use the Scameter on CyberDefender website to access the risk of fraud and cyber security by entering the platform account name or number, payment account, phone number, email address, URL, etc. If you have doubts, please call the “Anti-Scam Helpline 18222” of the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre for inquiries.
總括而言，時刻保持警覺和留意防騙資訊是避 免墜入騙局的關鍵。市民除了可以訂閱警方反 詐騙協調中心的防騙警示接收最新的防騙資訊 之外，亦可下載警方一站式詐騙陷阱搜尋器「防 App 騙視伏 」，或於「守網者」網站的「防騙視伏 器」輸入相關平台帳戶名稱或號碼、收款帳戶、 電話號碼、電郵地址及網址等，即時核實輸入的 資料是否與懷疑詐騙案有關，辨識詐騙及網絡 陷阱。如有懷疑，市民亦可致電反詐騙協調中心 18222 的「防騙易 」熱線查詢。
