19th January 2025 – (Hong Kong) University of Hong Kong has alerted its students following a surge in scam incidents, with over 60 students reportedly losing a combined total of more than HK$60 million in recent months. The average loss per victim stands at approximately HK$1 million, with most affected individuals being mainland Chinese students.
In a recent email sent on 16th January, the university’s Centre of Development and Resources for Students requested all students to complete a police-issued questionnaire aimed at enhancing awareness and vigilance against scams. Failure to submit the questionnaire will result in restricted access to the university library and shared learning spaces, making Hong Kong University the second institution among the “eight major universities” to implement such a measure, following Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
The email, titled “Joint Action Against Cash Scams: Protecting University of Hong Kong Students,” was distributed through the Faculty of Social Sciences. It included a warning graphic that advised students to hang up on unfamiliar calls from individuals claiming to be officials requesting money. The communication also provided contact information for the university’s student support centre and the 24-hour hotline for the police’s anti-fraud coordination centre.
The email emphasised that scams are a global issue, taking various forms including telephone fraud, online shopping scams, investment schemes, and romance cons. The university has mandated that students complete the questionnaire between 20th January and 10th February to bolster their protective measures against fraud. Those who do not complete it may face access restrictions.
While initially, it appeared that only students from the Faculty of Social Sciences received the email, further investigations revealed that all local and non-local students would be required to fill out the questionnaire upon logging into the university’s intranet. This initiative is part of the university’s broader effort to cultivate a heightened awareness of scams among its students, with restrictions being less stringent than those enforced by Hong Kong Polytechnic University, which previously stated that students would not receive their student cards without completion of similar requirements.
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