HK Retiree Loses HK10M to Cryptocurrency Scammer Posing as Tenant
A Hong Kong retiree has lost HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) in a cryptocurrency scam after being tricked by a fraudster posing as a prospective tenant.
The 64-year-old woman, who owns multiple properties including residential and commercial spaces, was contacted via WhatsApp by the scammer in May through a rental listing she posted on Facebook.
The con artist claimed to be able to teach her how to invest in cryptocurrency, framing it as 'the next opportunity to get rich'. The victim was given step-by-step instructions on how to set up a wallet and persuaded to reveal her wallet details and password, before investing large sums of money.
The scammer then transferred the funds out of her digital wallet, leaving her with an empty account. It wasn't until she discovered this that she realised she had been deceived.