Investment scam cases in Hong Kong drop 15%, but losses remain high at HK$1.65b

In the first half of 2026, investment scam cases in Hong Kong decreased by 15%, with total losses remaining high at HK$1.65 billion. Police suspect fraudsters posing as representatives of legitimate overseas firms to swindle local investors, claiming that some of these firms do not exist or have a history of fraudulent activity in other countries.

Senior Superintendent Fanny Kung Hing-fun revealed that some scammers used artificial intelligence-generated images and AI-powered investment schemes to lure investors. The largest case involved a 67-year-old merchant who lost HK$48.79 million in a pig-butchering scam with sham crypto investments between July last year and January this year.

Of the 2,151 investment scam cases recorded, 97% originated from online encounters, resulting in HK$1.58 billion in losses, accounting for 93% of the total amount. Hong Kong and Macau police also arrested eight people for operating a suspected Fun Coffee Ponzi scheme, which has reached HK$113 million in losses with 273 victims as of Thursday.

The scheme was allegedly run under the name of a coffee investment enterprise based in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, with assets of over US$1 billion and a team of over 5,000. Police warned that celebrities and influencers promoting fraudulent investment products could face criminal charges, citing the JPEX fraud case from 2023. Residents are urged to conduct thorough checks on companies before investing and only use licensed platforms, as per the Securities and Futures Commission's alert list.