The Chinese embassy in the United Kingdom has warned its citizens in the country to beware of scams involving fraudsters posing as staff from Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog.
In a statement on Monday, the embassy said criminals had recently posed as staff of the city’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to carry out telecommunications fraud.
The criminals falsely accused victims of offences such as money laundering, pressuring them to cooperate in a bogus “investigation” and to transfer money to accounts posing as those of “ICAC staff” or other fake “safe accounts,” it said.
“The Chinese embassy in the United Kingdom reminds Chinese citizens in Britain to be vigilant and strengthen their precautions,” it said.
The embassy reminded citizens that law enforcement agencies would not conduct investigations by phone or over the internet, nor would they request funds be transferred to so-called “safe accounts” or to staff members’ personal accounts.
