HONG KONG: She thought she had found companionship in her twilight years — someone who listened, who cared, who sent her sweet messages that lit up her lonely days.
However, what felt like love turned out to be a carefully spun lie.
An 81-year-old woman living alone in Hong Kong has lost more than HK$5 million after falling victim to a sophisticated online romance scam, police revealed on Monday. The heart-wrenching case is one of more than 40 reported in the past 10 days, with elderly people among the hardest hit.
It began innocently enough: a message from a stranger on WhatsApp. The man introduced himself as a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officer based in mainland China. Over time, daily chats turned into affectionate messages. He told her about life in the military, shared his dreams, and slowly, a romantic bond began to form — or so she believed.
He invited her to visit him at a military base. Then came the plea: He wanted to leave the military to start a business — but needed her help to do so. Trusting him completely, she began transferring money, piece by piece, to a bank account he provided.
Then came the cruellest twist.
Another person reached out — claiming to be the officer’s superior. He brought devastating news: The man she had fallen in love with had died, but there was a silver lining, the “superior” said — her late partner had left her an inheritance of over HK$9 million (S$1.5 million).
There was just one catch. To claim the money, she would need to pay a series of “fees” first.
Driven by hope, grief, and the belief that love had not been a lie, she kept paying. By the time the truth came out — after a conversation with her son — her entire life savings were gone.
The loss is not just financial. It’s emotional, psychological — the betrayal cuts deep.
Her story is one of dozens. In just 10 days, online romance scams in Hong Kong have racked up nearly HK$40 million in losses. More than 40% of the victims are aged 55 or older, accounting for over HK$24 million of the stolen funds.
The police statement on their CyberDefender page wrote that loneliness is often a vulnerability exploited in online romance scams. Thus, they are requesting families to stay connected and keep in touch constantly with elderly relatives, have open conversations about online risks, and make loved ones understand that they need to think twice before sending money to strangers.
Defrauders have become more convincing, more persistent, and more devious. For those who have fallen victim, the damage goes beyond talk of money — it destroys their confidence in people, and they lose their trust in love and in their own decisions and judgments.
Authorities say the best defence is not just awareness — but connection. A regular call. A shared meal. A simple “how are you?” may be the difference between safety and heartbreak.
