HKMA (Hong Kong Monetary Authority) – Anti-Scam Measures

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is the de facto central bank of Hong Kong and the primary prudential regulator of authorized institutions. In response to rising banking fraud, HKMA has issued a series of supervisory circulars requiring banks to strengthen authentication controls, implement real-time fraud detection, and offer customers self-service account-freezing tools. Banks in Hong Kong must provide a 24-hour hotline and in-app functionality for customers to immediately suspend transactions if they suspect fraud.

HKMA works alongside the Hong Kong Police Force's Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC) and the Cyberdefence and Technology Crime Bureau. It also coordinates with the banking industry on the Scameter database (see separate entry) which allows consumers to check whether a phone number, email address, or bank account has been linked to fraud reports.

Consumers who have been defrauded through a Hong Kong-regulated bank should first contact their bank's 24-hour fraud hotline to freeze the account and reverse any pending transactions, then file a report with the ADCC either by calling 18222 or via the ADCC website. The HKMA does not handle individual complaints directly but publishes a supervisory complaint mechanism for cases where a bank fails to follow required procedures.