The Judiciary Police (known by the Portuguese initials PJ) have released a new anti-fraud programme on their WeChat official account, PJ_Macao.
The force said that the app was designed to assess the risk level of specific telephone numbers, email addresses, websites and the like. Users may, for instance, input a telephone number into the program, which will use PJ data to determine if the number could be used by a fraudulent caller.
The programme also allows users to report scams, as well as develop their understanding and ability to recognise different kinds of fraud.
[See more: Phone scammers stole 160 million patacas in the first eight months of 2023]
During the event, PJ director Sit Chong Meng said his department decided to use WeChat as a platform because of its popularity with residents and visitors, and because it does not require users to download any additional programs or share personal details.
He noted there were 81 telephone scam cases in the first two months of this year – an increase of 108 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, 126 cases of online fraud and 58 instances of bank fraud were reported in 2023 respectively, a year-on-year rise of 73 percent and 123 percent. There were 407 cases of telephone scams in total last year, or a jump of 263 percent.
Sit said that the data showed that “the public’s awareness against fraud is still weak in some areas.”
