Hong Kong Insurance Authority Issues Warnings on Fraudulent Activities

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Hong Kong Insurance Authority Warns of Email Scams and Fake Websites

The Hong Kong Insurance Authority (IA) has recently issued multiple warnings concerning fraudulent emails and counterfeit websites that impersonate prominent insurance companies in the region. Over the past week, the IA has highlighted phishing attempts linked to fake email addresses and domains masquerading as Prudential Hong Kong Limited, AIA International Limited, and Manulife (International) Limited.

These deceptive operations aim to lure individuals to fraudulent platforms, seeking to extract personal information and financial data. Identified email addresses involved in these scams include “info@prudential-hk[.]site,” “info@manuiife-hk[.]site,” “contact@h-k-ala[.]site,” and “info@hkala[.]site.” These messages contain links directing users to imitation websites such as “hxxps://prudential-hk[.]site,” “manuiife-hk[.]site,” “hxxps://ala-og[.]site,” and “hxxps://ala-hk[.]site,” intended to deceive recipients into disclosing sensitive information.

The insurers implicated in these phishing schemes have confirmed their lack of association with the fraudulent emails and websites. All three cases are currently under investigation by the Hong Kong Police Force. Individuals who may have interacted with these emails, provided personal information, or conducted transactions are urged to contact the insurers directly—Prudential at 2281 1333, AIA at (852) 2232 8888, and Manulife at 2108 1188 or via email at [email protected].

The IA encourages residents to verify insurer credentials through its official Register of Authorized Insurers, which provides a list of licensed entities and their contact details. This advisory is part of a broader initiative to combat rising cybersecurity threats in the financial services sector. In 2024, the IA, alongside other regulators, launched the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter 2.0, aiming to standardize anti-fraud measures across financial institutions.

Under this charter, participants pledge to adopt several preventive strategies, including avoiding unsolicited emails with embedded data requests, incorporating scam warnings into client communications, maintaining dedicated fraud inquiry channels, and enhancing staff training on scam detection. As of April 2024, 73 licensed insurance firms and brokerage companies were among the 230 financial organizations that had committed to this initiative.

The IA reiterates its advice for consumers to remain vigilant when dealing with unfamiliar electronic messages, especially those requesting personal or financial information.