HKMA warns of increase in credit card scams
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority on Thursday renewed calls for consumers to be alert against credit card scams, saying the number of relevant complaints it has received in the first five months of the year is close to 2022's figure. The HKMA's deputy chief executive, Arthur Yuen, said they had received more than 380 complaints from January to May, while the total figure last year was 391. He said scammers are using new tactics to lure people into giving personal information. "Last year we saw many [scammers] pretending to be post or courier service [providers]," he said. "But recently we see a new trend of scammers posing as e-commerce or telecom platforms that are recruiting members or offering rewards schemes." The HKMA said they have teamed up with the Association of Banks to launch a charter for merchants to pledge to help combat credit card scams. Participating companies have to declare not to send messages to customers asking them to provide credit card details via hyperlinks, and train their staff to better handle inquiries about scams. All 23 card-issuing banks in the city and some major retailers or service providers have joined the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter.