5-1-2025 (HONG KONG) Hong Kong authorities have dismantled a sophisticated fraud operation that employed artificial intelligence to orchestrate romance and investment scams, resulting in the arrest of 31 individuals. The criminal enterprise, which targeted victims across Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia, amassed illicit gains exceeding HK$34 million (US$4.37 million).
The elaborate scheme, uncovered during a two-day operation conducted by the Commercial Crime Bureau on Thursday and Friday, operated from two industrial premises in Kowloon Bay. According to law enforcement officials, the syndicate ran a well-organised operation with two shifts, specifically targeting victims in Southeast Asian nations.
Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, Superintendent Charles Fung Pui-kei revealed that the criminal group had been actively recruiting young individuals, including students, by dangling the prospect of quick financial gains. “The syndicate maintained a structured training programme, teaching new recruits to utilise various dating applications to identify potential targets, predominantly in Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia,” he explained.
The criminal operation’s modus operandi involved the manipulation of images using deepfake technology to create deceptive profiles of attractive women. These fabricated identities were then used to establish romantic connections with unsuspecting victims before launching fraudulent investment schemes.
This latest crackdown marks the second instance of Hong Kong authorities successfully disrupting a deepfake-enabled fraud ring. In a previous operation last October, law enforcement apprehended 27 individuals who had employed similar artificial intelligence techniques to create fake female personas, using them to lure male victims into fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes.
