Beware of fraudulent calls
A member of the “Judiciary Police Friends of Crime Prevention for Women” informed the Judiciary Police that she had recently received a call with a local mobile ID where the caller, speaking in Cantonese, claimed to be calling from the “Bureau of Telecommunications Regulation”. The caller warned her that her phone had shown signs of anomaly and would soon stop working, and she should press “2” to obtain further details. Finding the call suspicious, the member immediately hung up the phone and reported the incident.
Upon investigation, the Judiciary Police found that the phone number used to contact the member was out of service and the department mentioned above does not exist in the Macao government. Telephone scams involving the impersonation of government officials have risen recently and the Judiciary Police advises residents to stay vigilant against fraud. Should you receive similar calls, please immediately hang up the phone to avoid being scammed.
Preventive Measures:
- Upon receiving calls from unknown caller ID, stay alert and do not trust the caller. Verify the caller’s identity via reliable means;
- Do not trust the caller ID entirely as scammers can manipulate them using software to misguide recipients;
- Never reveal personal information to strangers, and avoid transferring or wiring them money.
- Share crime prevention tips with family and friends to protect them from fraud;
- If you suspect you have fallen prey to scam or would like to share any crime intelligence with the police, please contact the Judiciary Police via the Anti-scam hotline 8800 7777 or crime report hotline 993.