Hong Kong police announced that they received 12,505 reports of online shopping scams in 2025, an 8.2% increase from 2024. The largest single online shopping scam involving losses that year involved cryptocurrency transactions. A victim joined a Telegram cryptocurrency trading group and received a private message from a member impersonating Bittwatt (BWT) customer service, requesting a "verification code" for group entry. The scammer then transferred all virtual assets from the victim's Telegram-connected cryptocurrency wallet, resulting in a total loss of over HK$3.7 million. Police remind the public to contact customer service through official channels when shopping online. Regardless of the form of transfer, always verify the authenticity of the payment before making payment and carefully check payment details. Never click on unknown or suspicious links. (Hong Kong Commercial Daily)