A local woman has been cheated out of HK$20,000 by a male netizen who claimed to the son of a rich businessman from the United States, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chan Wun Man said at a press conference on Monday.
According to Chan, the victim, who is under the age of 30, encountered the netizen on a social media app on Valentine’s Day, February 14, of all days. The man had presented himself as the son of a wealthy American businessman, and the two quickly established a virtual relationship.
Chan said that the man subsequently informed the victim of his intention to send her a parcel containing a substantial amount of cash and luxury items as a gift. Believing him, the victim provided him with her mailing address.
Last Tuesday, the victim received an email from an individual claiming to represent an express delivery company. The message indicated that there was a parcel awaiting her, but she needed to pay a “fee” of HK$20,000. The victim complied and made the payment.
According to Chan, both the purported express delivery company and the victim’s online boyfriend continued to demand that she pay additional “fees”. The victim finally realised that she had been deceived and promptly reported the case to the police.
