TREE NEWS reports: Hong Kong received more than 150 reports of WhatsApp account hijacking over the past two weeks, with losses exceeding HK$15 million. In one case, a crypto exchange employee’s hijacked account was used to create a fake work group with copied names, photos and member details, where the scammer posed as a client requesting a currency swap, tricking the victim into sending crypto to a designated wallet and costing the company over HK$4 million.
Hong Kong Logs 150+ WhatsApp Account Hijack Scams, HK$15M Lost in Two Weeks
AI take
The crypto-specific detail is what elevates this beyond routine phishing: the scammer rebuilt a trusted work group from copied names, photos and member details, then weaponised a currency-swap request — an ordinary, low-friction transaction in exchange operations. That suggests the target was chosen for professional context, not random, and that account takeover is being used to reach corporate wallets rather than retail ones. The open question is whether Hong Kong's reported volumes reflect a broader regional pattern or a concentrated campaign against exchange staff.
Generated by AI for reference only.
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