A 25-year-old woman in Hong Kong was defrauded of over HK$2.25 million (US$287,190) in a sophisticated job scam. She responded to an online advert for a part-time helper and subsequently lost her savings over a month. The incident has prompted calls for stricter verification rules for employers on online employment platforms.

A 25-year-old Hong Kong woman was cheated out of more than HK$2.25 million (US$287,190) in one month after falling prey to a job scam, prompting calls for tighter rules requiring online employment platforms to verify employers. The victim said on Saturday at a press briefing held by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions that she came across a posting for a “part-time helper” job offering HK$90 an hour in January. She had quit her job as a research assistant at a local university late last...