A local man reported to the Judiciary Police (PJ) on Sunday that he had been cheated out of 89,000 patacas in a phone scam earlier this month, PJ spokesman Ho Chan Nam said at a press briefing on Monday.
According to Ho, the victim told the police that he received a phone call on Wednesday from someone who claimed to be a Health Bureau (SSM) official. The “official” asked the victim whether he had bought some COVID-19 vaccines in Shanghai which would be mailed to Macau. The victim told the “official” that he did not purchase the vaccines. The “official” said that the victim’s personal data might have been stolen by someone and immediately transferred the call to a “police officer” of the “Shanghai Public Security Bureau (PSB). The “officer” told the victim that someone was using his personal information to carry out money laundering activities in Shanghai so they needed to launch an investigation into the victim’s bank account.
Ho said that the victim logged into a link provided by the “police officer” and filled in his bank account details. The “police officer” told the victim to wait for the result of the investigation and not to tell anyone about it, nor log into his bank account during the period so as not to affect the “investigation”.
After waiting for a long time but without any news from the “police officer”, the victim went to the bank’s ATM to check his account on Sunday. He discovered that 89,000 patacas had vanished from his account. The victim finally realised that he had been cheated and reported the case to the police.
