The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has warned the public about a wave of fraudulent schemes that claim to involve a “digital Hong Kong dollar” project. According to the HKMA, the authorities received a large number of inquiries from citizens who were approached by scammers offering agreements that purportedly would convert loans into digital Hong Kong dollar assets. The HKMA has stated that it has no connection to the alleged agreements or the loan schemes. “The HKMA does not engage in any personal financial matters, nor will it contact citizens or transfer funds on behalf of any individual,” the regulator said. The HKMA has also reported the incident to the Hong Kong Police Force. In addition, the HKMA reiterated that companies selected for its “digital Hong Kong dollar” pilot programme and other institutions participating in the HKMA‑run sandbox will not raise public funds or offer any financial or investment products under the name of the programme. The HKMA also urged the public to be vigilant about a fraud website linked to Octopus Card Limited. The payment‑tool operator has reported the site to the HKMA. The website in question is “hxxps://octopus-auth[.]com”. The HKMA advised anyone who has supplied personal or account information to that site, or who has conducted any transactions through it, to contact the relevant payment‑tool operator, file a police report, or reach out to the Police Anti‑Fraud Coordination Centre.
Article source: Sing Tao Electronic Daily | Image credit: Sing Tao Electronic Daily