Hong Kong WhatsApp hijacking scams surge 170% to nearly 2,000 cases
WhatsApp account hijacking scams in Hong Kong have surged by 170% in the first seven months of the year, reaching nearly 2,000 cases. Authorities attribute the rise to increased reliance on messaging platforms and the use of AI to create sophisticated fake websites.
Why it matters
The rapid increase in AI-assisted cybercrime highlights the growing vulnerability of digital communication platforms and the evolving sophistication of financial fraud.
WhatsApp account hijacking scams in Hong Kong surged by nearly 170 per cent to almost 2,000 cases in the first seven months of this year, with one victim losing as much as HK$12.2 million (US$1.55 million).
Police said the 1,993 cases logged from January to July represented a 169.7 per cent increase from the 739 cases recorded over the same period last year. The figure also surpassed the 1,669 cases recorded in all of 2025.
The cases over the first seven months resulted in losses of HK$146.3 million, down by 22.7 per cent from HK$189.2 million over the same period last year.
Despite the lower total loss, police warned that the threat was far from subsiding, noting that some victims lost between HK$1 million and more than HK$10 million.
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