Hong Kong’s No 2 official seeks police help after his image appears in ‘deceptive’ bitcoin adverts
- Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki’s office warns of the ‘deceptive advertisements and web pages found on online news portals’ using his image without permission
- Fake content has lured people into clicking web pages taking them to suspicious transaction platforms, spokesman for the official says
Hong Kong’s No 2 official has sought help from police after becoming the latest office-holder whose photo has been used by fraudsters to lure people on social media to suspicious transaction platforms.
Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki’s office on Friday warned of the “deceptive” advertisements and webpages found on online news portals that had used his name and photo without authorisation.
The latest incident involved adverts for bitcoin, which was also touted in a series of alleged scams in recent months that involved the likeness of other top government officials, including Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.
In a statement, Chan’s office said the fake content had lured people into clicking on webpages, which then took them to “suspicious transaction platforms”.
“The Chief Secretary’s Office has never issued or authorised such advertisements,” a spokesman said. “The chief secretary has never conducted the so-called interviews as claimed by such advertisements, and the remarks in the advertisements are all fictitious.”
The office urged the public to stay vigilant over suspicious websites.
“The Chief Secretary’s Office has reported the incident to police for follow-up investigation,” the spokesman said.