Hong Kong car owner loses HK$500,000 in fuel membership card scam

A Hong Kong car owner has lost HK$500,000 (US$63,800) to scammers posing as petrol company staff who exploited surging fuel prices by offering bogus top-up deals for membership cards, police have said.The victim received unsolicited WhatsApp messages from fraudsters claiming to represent a fuel company, according to a post on the force’s CyberDefender Facebook page on Wednesday.The scammers promised discounts through prepaid petrol cards and lured the victim into making immediate purchases.Global oil prices have soared amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, and Hong Kong remains one of the world’s most expensive fuel markets.Police said the victim did not suspect foul play because he had previously used discount cards from other fuel firms.The car owner also believed the scammers’ claim that buying more cards would yield higher discounts.