Hong Kong WhatsApp hijacking scams surge 170% to nearly 2,000 cases

In Hong Kong, WhatsApp account hijacking scams have surged by nearly 170 percent, reaching nearly 2,000 cases in the first seven months of the year, according to police. The 1,993 recorded incidents represent a 169.7 percent increase from the 739 cases logged over the same period last year. The total losses from these scams amounted to HK$146.3 million, a 22.7 percent decrease from the HK$189.2 million lost in the same period last year.

However, police warned that the threat remains significant, with some victims losing amounts ranging from HK$1 million to over HK$10 million. Superintendent Hui Yee-wai of the force's cyber security and technology crime bureau attributed the rise to residents' habits using social media or instant messaging platforms and the ease with which artificial intelligence can generate fake websites.

WhatsApp account hijacking scams involve fraudsters impersonating friends or relatives or using fake WhatsApp websites to obtain telephone numbers and app registration codes. Once they gain access, they message the victim's contacts to solicit money or extract personal information. A 32-year-old man lost more than HK$1.1 million after his property agent and lawyer were impersonated in fake WhatsApp messages demanding a deposit for a property purchase.

Another man lost over HK$10 million after scammers hijacked his father's WhatsApp account and used potentially AI-generated voice messages to demand multiple transfers. One financial manager at an investment company lost HK$12.2 million, after scammers used plausible excuses to request funds or deposits. Police advised the public to verify recipients' accounts before transferring funds, regularly check linked devices on WhatsApp, and be cautious about publicly available personal information on social media.

In addition to WhatsApp, police recorded 2,020 technology-related crime cases involving instant messaging platforms, resulting in HK$150 million in losses. Overall, the force logged 16,437 technology-related crimes in the first seven months of the year, with a total loss of HK$3.08 billion, compared to 19,080 cases and HK$3.64 billion in losses in 2025.

Philip Chua, Asia-Pacific director of public policy for Meta Platforms, which owns WhatsApp and Facebook, noted the challenges posed by transnational criminal syndicates using various tactics to profit and collect personal information. Meta is committed to protecting users in Hong Kong by displaying more information about unknown callers and preventing suspicious links from appearing in chats.