90-Year-Old Woman Conned Out of 33M In Just a Few Months
by Kate Seamons
The New York Times uses the word “staggering,” and understandably so. Hong Kong police say a 90-year-old woman fell victim to a phone scam that over a period of just six months saw her hand over $32.8 million.
The initial caller who contacted her in August reportedly claimed to be a detective from mainland China who told the woman that her identity had been stolen and used in a crime and that they needed to confirm the source of her money, reports the South China Morning Post.
Within days, a man posing as a Chinese police officer delivered to her a cell phone that she was instructed to use during the probe.
Police say the scammers convinced her to transfer massive amounts of money into accounts they held, and that some 11 transfers occurred between Aug. 12 and Jan. 4, reports the BBC.
A member of her household staff finally let the woman’s daughter know what was going on, and a police report was filed in March. The AFP reports police have revealed little about the victim beyond that she lived in a mansion on the Peak, the most exclusive neighborhood in Hong Kong, reports the AFP.
A 19-year-old college student with the surname of Wong was arrested on suspicion of “obtaining property by deception.” He has been released on bail and the investigation is ongoing. It’s said to be the biggest phone scam ever to occur in Hong Kong, which sees plenty of scams, particularly at the hands of people pretending to be Chinese authorities. Hong Kong police identified 1,193 such scams that netted $73 million last year. (Read more scam stories.)
Edited via Newser.
About Post Author
Professor Mike
More Stories
What in the World Happened to the Ginger Kitten?
The abrupt sound of multiple barks pierced the stillness of the night. It was an unsettling deviation from their customary...
Warning: Be Careful When Walking Your Dog In Alligator Country
Mike McCoy has read up a bit on alligator attacks and he knew what to do if you find yourself in one—and good thing too.
MadMikesAmerica To Remain Open For Business
We are staying open. MMA may not be as active as it once was, but why close this one, with all those articles still available to read, and maybe more to come?
Fox News Guest: Ghoulish Trump Has Blood On His Hands
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) told Fox News on Sunday that former President Donald Trump is guilty of a “ghoulish” attempt to undermine the economy by downplaying the need for Covid-19 vaccinations.
Disgusting Ted Cruz Forgets History of Conservatives Like Elvis Promoting Vaccines
Recently, the beloved Sesame Street character Big Bird went on television and social media to promote COVID-19 vaccines. For anyone who has been conscious for at least a few years, celebrities—especially ones with larger fanbases amongst the youth of the country—promoting public health initiatives is not surprising. It has been going on forever and ever.
Crazy Louie Gohmert: Climate Action Would Force Us To Brush Our Teeth With Bark
[caption id="attachment_187456" align="aligncenter" width="615"] Getty images[/caption] by Aldous J. Pennyfarthing How the hell did Republican Louie Gohmert of Texas ever become...
I’m guessing someone she knew helped these pantloads. When somebody has money like that, and I know some, all kinds of people are watching the finances.
You would think that someone with that kind of money would have someone watching her money.
You would think, and that was one of my first thoughts. Household staff had to catch it.