The number of reported phone scams rose 161 percent year-on-year to 282 last year, Secretary for Security Wong Sio Check announced on Friday.
Addressing a press conference on last year’s crime figures, Wong described the increase in phone scam cases as “serious.
The policy secretary also revealed a 100 percent increase in the number of Internet nude photo blackmail cases from 30 in 2013 to 60 last year.
The total number of reported crimes rose 2.4 percent year-on-year to 14,016 last year, including one homicide.
Last year, the police recorded 3,375 theft cases, up 12.2 percent, which included pick pocketing.
A total of 49,563 illegal immigrants and overstayers were recorded last year, a year-on-year increase of 12.3 percent, with mainlanders accounting for 94.1 percent. A total of 2,893 foreign nationals overstayed their visas last year. (macaunews/macaupost)
