A 25-year-old Hong Kong woman lost more than HK$2.25 million (US$287,190) in a job scam within one month. She responded to an online ad for a part-time helper role, leading her to sign documents and take out loans. The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions has called for tighter rules on verifying employers on online platforms.
The victim had quit her job as a research assistant at a local university late last year due to poor health. In January, she spotted an online posting for a “part-time helper” job paying HK$90 an hour and passed all the “interviews” before being hired.
In March, she was asked to sign documents to help a “lawyer” assist a “mainland big shot” with “financing”. On one day, she was taken to three loan companies to borrow money and opened accounts at virtual banks to transfer funds to the scammers’ designated accounts.
At a press briefing by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions on Saturday, the victim, who declined to be named, said: “They said I had signed contractual documents and if I did not help the mainland boss I could face penalties amounting to millions of yuan for breaching the contract.” She added that they claimed it was only procedural and the company would repay the loans.
The case has prompted calls for tighter enforcement of the Employment Ordinance and Employment Agency Regulations, including requirements for online platforms to verify employers. Hong Kong police's technology and financial crime unit is investigating, with locations in Kwun Tong and Kowloon East.