Hong Kong Woman Falls Victim to Cryptocurrency Scam Through Dating App

A 39-year-old woman from Hong Kong was deceived into investing in cryptocurrency through a fraudulent trading platform after meeting a man on a mobile dating app. According to ChainCatcher, the man claimed to be an employee of a renewable energy company and developed an online romantic relationship with the victim via WhatsApp. He persuaded her to invest in cryptocurrency with promises of high returns. Following instructions from the platform's customer service, the victim transferred over HKD 5.5 million to various unknown accounts over two months. The scammer then disappeared, leaving the victim aware of the deception. Last week, Hong Kong police received reports of 15 online romance scams, with losses totaling nearly HKD 10 million. Authorities warn that such scams often use investments in precious metals and cryptocurrencies as bait.