HONG KONG — A major international crackdown on scam operations has led to the arrest of more than 1,800 individuals and the interception of over $20 million in fraudulent funds, according to Hong Kong police.
Wong Chun-yue, Chief Superintendent of the Hong Kong Police Commercial Crime Bureau, announced the results on Tuesday, crediting a coordinated effort between seven jurisdictions including South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and Macao.
The month-long operation, which concluded on May 28, targeted a wide range of cybercrimes such as online shopping scams, telephone fraud, fake investments, and bogus job offers. Nearly 33,000 accounts linked to the scams were frozen. Those arrested ranged in age from just 14 to 81.
One alarming case involved a finance director in Singapore who, in March, fell victim to a sophisticated deepfake scam. Believing they were communicating with their company’s CEO, the individual transferred $499,000 to Hong Kong. Thanks to cross-border collaboration, Singapore’s anti-scam command, led by Assistant Director Aileen Yap, recovered the stolen funds.
Authorities emphasize that scam networks exploit not only victims but also the workers they recruit—often under false pretenses and through coercion. These workers are frequently subjected to inhumane conditions, threats, and violence.
A recent UN report highlighted the growing influence of transnational organized crime in East and Southeast Asia. Scam compounds—especially in parts of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and the Philippines—continue to evolve, shifting locations to evade enforcement.
The report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime revealed that these centers use deceptive job ads to lure individuals into forced labor, making them unwitting participants in global scams that include fake romances, investment cons, and illegal gambling.
