Being a public figure with domestic worker employment agency experience, I speak with so many migrant workers every day. It is quite concerning that a big percentage of my conversations with them have to do with scams. 

We know that life in Hong Kong is hard; being away from family, long working hours, financial problems, and many other difficulties – these can lead some people to questionable decisions. Recently, a migrant worker reached out to me in the middle of the night, she was picked up by the Hong Kong Police at her employer’s house at 3 o’clock in the morning. 

She told me she had been lending her ATM card to someone who turned out to be a scammer. She thought she was helping someone out and wasn’t expecting this person to use her bank account for money laundering. Good thing her employer was understanding and vouched for her upstanding nature; still, she was issued a fine and a stern warning to be aware of such criminal activities.

I have heard so many heartbreaking stories of my fellow Indonesians being scammed out of their hard-earned money, so I want to warn everyone about these illegal activities, so you can avoid losing your savings and having your heart broken as well.

First of all, do not lend your bank account to anybody, as you run the risk of implicating yourself in a crime. They may be your friend or co-worker, but you still cannot be 100% sure that they will not use it for illegal purposes. Any suspicious transaction that takes place under your bank account will be traced back to you – it doesn’t matter whether you were aware of it or not. Ultimately, it will be your responsibility to speak with the authorities if they find it to be part of a scam.

My second advice is do not easily trust people you don’t know who try to reach out to you through online messaging, phone calls, or even in person, as you do not know what their intentions are. There are so many love scams, phishing scams, and shopping fraud schemes that rely on building your trust, but you should always do your research and know who you are dealing with, especially when they are offering you money or asking you to part with it. 

Please be very wary of scammers. Keep your money and your heart safe.