A female graduate was cheated out of 390,000 patacas in a phone scam after completing her studies in Taiwan and returning to Macau when she was in 14-day quarantine here in early July, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Lai Chio Hong said during a regular press conference yesterday.
According to Lai, the victim, who is in her twenties, reported the case to the police on Saturday. She said that she had returned to Macau from Taiwan in early July after completing her studies, after which she stayed at a hotel in Taipa for her mandatory 14-day quarantine because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While staying in quarantine she received a call on July 10 from a man who spoke in Putonghua. The man claimed that he was a “local telecommunications staff member” and then “transferred” the call to the “Public Security Bureau in Shanghai”. The victim told the police that a “police officer” surnamed Meng told her that she was involved in an economic crime in the mainland and that her personal information had been used for money laundering.
The victim followed the instructions of the “police officer” to deposit all the money that she had, which was 390,000 patacas, into a local bank account on July 22 to avoid any suspicion, and to give him her online banking password as well as SMS authentication. She then logged into the “police officer’s” designated website to provide him with her personal and bank account information.
Later, the “police officer” told the victim that a “fund review” was required because of which her money had been transferred elsewhere. Afterwards, the victim was not able to contact the “police officer” and reported the case to the police after discussing the case with her friends, according to Lai.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Lai Chio Hong poses during yesterday’s regular press conference. Photo: Camy Tam
