Local Trends and Safety Advisories [Hong Kong] – Carousell Help Centre

Avoid these latest scams in Hong Kong! We update these safety advisories regularly to share with users what to look out for and how to protect themselves.

If you come across any suspicious accounts, please report it to our team.

[October 2024]

Alert: Buyer Protection Scam Targeting Sellers

We’re seeing a rise in a scam involving Buyer Protection on our platform, and we want to make sure all users are aware. Scammers are posing as buyers or even pretending to be Carousell administrators, sending fake payment confirmation messages via chat or email.

Here’s how the scam works:

The scammer claims to have purchased your item using Buyer Protection and requests that you click a link to receive your funds.
These links lead to phishing sites designed to steal your personal and financial information.
Stay protected by only communicating within the Carousell platform and avoiding external links or email requests for personal information. If you receive any suspicious messages, report them immediately.

Your safety is our priority—let's stay vigilant!

⚠️Think before you click the links 📲

The most common way ransomware enters corporate networks is through chat or email. Often, scammers will include malicious QR code that looks legitimate. To avoid this trap, please observe the following best practices:

- Do not click on links or scan QR code from senders that you do not recognize.
- Do not provide sensitive personal information (like usernames and passwords) over email or in chat.
- Watch for email or chat senders that use suspicious or misleading domain names.
- If you can’t tell if an email or QR code is legitimate ❌ DO NOT CLICK ❌
- Be especially cautious when clicking links especially if it’s QR code that is involved.
[April to July 2024] In Hong Kong, fake cheque scams are increasing, targeting sellers in online marketplaces and individuals in high-value transactions. Scammers exploit delays in cheque clearance, deceiving victims into believing funds are available before discovering the cheque is fake. They often direct users outside of platforms, using WhatsApp for communication. Here are some safety advisories on Carousell platform 👉

1. Arrange cash transactions during meet-ups whenever possible to avoid the risks associated with cheques.

2. Always keep all transactions and communications within the platform: This ensures all relevant transaction records are available to facilitate subsequent investigation and dispute resolution should the need arise.

3. Verify Bank Transfers: Always ensure that bank transfers are instant rather than pending to prevent falling victim to delayed or fraudulent payments.

4. Report Suspicious Activity: If you encounter suspicious behavior or receive a potentially fraudulent cheque, report it immediately to Carousell's customer support or the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF).
[Mar 2024] Certainly, staying vigilant against phishing attempts is crucial, especially on platforms like Carousell where users interact frequently. Here are some reminder tips to help you and others stay safe:

Account Take Over Phishing:

1. Verify the Source: Always double-check the sender's email address and domain. Legitimate organizations usually have official email addresses.

2. Be Wary of Urgency: Phishing emails often create a sense of urgency, pressuring recipients to act quickly. Be cautious of such tactics.

3. Avoid Clicking Suspicious Links: Hover over links to see the actual URL before clicking. If it looks suspicious or doesn't match the purported sender, don't click on it.

4. Check for Secure Websites: Make sure any website you're providing sensitive information to is secure (look for "https://" and a padlock icon in the address bar).

5. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA wherever possible, as it adds an extra layer of security to your accounts.
6. Educate Yourself and Others: Stay informed about the latest phishing techniques and educate friends and family about the risks.
[Feb 2024] Concert season approaches and concert ticket scams are on the rise! "Secure Your Concert Tickets: Essential Safety Tips"

Here are some safety tips for buying concert tickets on Carousell platform:
1. Check Seller's Reputation: Before making a purchase, review the seller's profile on Carousell. Look for positive feedback, completed transactions, and overall ratings. Sellers with a good track record are more likely to provide legitimate tickets.
1. Communicate Securely: Use Carousell's messaging system to communicate with the seller. Avoid sharing personal information such as email addresses or phone numbers until you're comfortable with the transaction and sure of the seller's legitimacy.
1. Ask for Proof of Purchase: Request proof of purchase or verification of the concert tickets from the seller. This could include photos of the tickets, purchase receipts, or confirmation emails. Verify the details such as the event date, venue, and seat numbers.
1. Arrange a Safe Payment Method: Use Carousell's secure payment options whenever possible. Avoid making payments outside of Carousell's platform, such as bank transfers or wire transfers, as these methods offer little to no protection against fraud.
1. Meet in a Safe Location: If meeting the seller in person to exchange tickets, choose a well-lit and public location, such as a coffee shop or shopping mall. Avoid secluded areas and insist on meeting during daylight hours.
1. Inspect the Tickets: Inspect the concert tickets in person before finalizing the transaction. Check for any signs of tampering, such as altered dates or seat numbers. Ensure that the tickets look genuine and match the description provided by the seller.
2. Trust Your Instincts: If something feels off or too good to be true, trust your instincts and proceed with caution. Be wary of sellers who pressure you to make a quick decision or offer unrealistic deals.
3. Report Suspicious Activity: If you encounter suspicious listings, fraudulent sellers, or any signs of scamming on Carousell, report them to Carousell's customer support immediately. Provide as much information as possible to help prevent others from falling victim to the same scams.
  
  👉👉👉By following these safety tips, users can reduce the risks associated with buying concert tickets on Carousell and increase their chances of having a positive and secure transaction experience.
[Dec 2023 & Jan 2024]⚠️ Friendly reminder to all ⚠️
- When using online platforms, be careful about potential phishing attempts originating from ATO (Account Takeover) accounts. These fraudulent activities aim to manipulate users into disclosing sensitive information, compromising account security. Stay alert and double-check if the communication is legit to keep your personal data and account safe.
  👉Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for suspicious logins: When a Carousell account is being logged in through a new device, we have 2FA codes sent to the account’s email address to confirm and inform the account owner that there is an attempt to log into their Carousell account.
- Watch out for Fake Carousell websites that may mimic the platform's appearance but are designed to scam users. These fake sites often play around with individuals into providing confidential information, leading to identity theft or money loss. Always ensure that you are using the official Carousell website to conduct transactions and avoid falling victim to these such schemes.
  👉How do I know if the website is from Carousell?
- Exercise caution when encountering to pretend as customer support sites that may be fraudulent. These fake support channels can mislead users into sharing sensitive details under the guise of assistance.
- Remember, legitimate customer support from Carousell will never request unnecessary information, such as your email address to complete transactions or process payments. Stay informed and prioritize your online safety by avoiding these potential risks. If you have any doubts, please always verify with official support team first
  👉How do I contact Carousell Support Team?

[Oct & Nov 2023] 🔥Pay attention to the FAKE buyers🔥! Scammers persistently impersonate as buyers to deceive sellers. Here's how these scams work:

1. Impersonate as a buyer to chat with you on Carousell, later asking you to add WhatsApp and direct off the platform or requesting to provide screenshots of your email addresses. You provide a screenshot that reveals your email address. (*please refer to below screenshot 1.)
---Scam message:
-Hi. I want to buy. Write me on whаtsарр xxxx-xxxx.
-I am very interested in this purchase, I am ready to buy right now! I need your /E/M/A/i/L/ to pay and finalize the order. If possible, please send me a screenshot of your /E/M/A/i/L/ and I will place the order right away!

2. Shortly after, you receive an email claiming payment has been made for one of your items. The email requests your bank account details to receive payment. (*please refer to below screenshot 2 and 3.)

*Screenshot 1

*Screenshot 2

*Screenshot 3

⚠️Safety tips to protect yourself:

✘ Please avoid taking the conversation off the platform, bypassing our system prompts, clicking on any link or providing personal information at will.
✅Please note that there is NO official on-platform payment system and courier service for transactions of Carousell in Hong Kong at this moment.
✅If you have any doubts, please always go to our Help Centre support.carousell.com and verify with official support team first.
[July 2023] 🔥🔥🔥 Attention - Ongoing phishing scams! Scammers may impersonate as Carousell customer support, staff or buyers, to send you links, emails, text messages or QR codes directing to phishing websites which look like a genuine one, tricking you into paying fees or inputting credit card details. Here are some common tricks:
- Pretend as our system message, claiming that you need to sign some documents and make payment first, otherwise your Carousell account would be suspended. They will also ask you to continue the conversation offline via a link provided.
- Impersonate as buyer to chat with you on Carousell, later claiming that they need your email/phone number to pay you, or asking you to scan a QR code they provided to receive their payment.
- Impersonate as our staff to contact you directly via other third-party platforms (e.g. WhatsApp), claiming that there are unusual activities in your Carousell account and you have to make fund transfer in order to unlock your account.
  
  We would like to remind our users that, please avoid taking the conversation off the platform, bypassing our system prompts, clicking on any link or providing personal information at will. It is obviously suspicious if there are deliberate typos in the message/URL/email address, e.g. "Whats@pp", "Te!egram" etc. Meanwhile, please note that there is no official on-platform payment system and courier service for transactions of Carousell in Hong Kong at this moment. Our support team will also not ask users to make payment to unlock Carousell account or provide complete credit card information. If you are not sure whether the one contacting you is from Carousell or have any doubts, feel free to go to our Help Centre support.carousell.com and verify with official support team first.
[Sep 2023🥮] With Mid-autumn Festival around the corner, pay extra attention if you are looking to buy mooncakes vouchers online! We strongly encourage you to avoid making upfront payment, choose meet-up and only buy from verified sellers with good reviews and more selling history. Check here for more tips!
[July 2023] Concert season is around the corner and concert ticket scams are on the rise. Avoid listings with unreasonable pricing and opt for meet-ups to cross check the authenticity of the ticket physically. Be wary when sellers try to get you to make advance payments or pay immediately to secure the tickets – scammers will try to create a false sense of urgency by claiming that they have other buyers lined up to get you to transfer to them as soon as possible.
[Apr & May 2023] Beware of individuals impersonating as Carousell staff and protect yourself from scams. We've received reports that scammers may approach people via other platforms (e.g. WhatsApp) and:
- Impersonate as our staff to offer paid tasks and use various pretexts to lure people into paying fees. After snatching the money, they will be out of contact; Or
- Impersonate as our support team and claim that there is issue in your Carousell account. They will urge you to click on the link they provided to contact the so-called "customer service agent"; Or
- Impersonate as our staff and claim to provide cash reward after finishing a survey.
  
  When in doubt about whether someone contacting you is from Carousell, please always feel free to cross check their contact information with our team first through our official Help Centre support.carousell.com

[Mar 2023] Looking for high value items? Beware of accounts that suddenly posting high value products which have never been listed before, with empty description and/or the price is too good to be true! Usually scammers will also refuse to meet in person on various pretexts or ask for advance payments. Please be alerted and always do your due diligence to make sure sellers indeed have the products on hand and opt for a meet-up so that you can check before making payment.
[Jan & Feb 2023] Scammers might take advantage of high demand items such as latest concert or event tickets and ask for advance payments and/or do delivery only. Always do your due diligence especially before making such a high value item transaction: check for seller's profile and reviews, avoid listings with unreasonable pricing, beware of fake tickets and opt for safer dealing method such as meet-up if possible.
[Dec 2022] Attention sellers - Phishing fraud is on the rise. Scammers are now posing as interested buyers. The buyer would claim that:
- They will arrange for a courier to collect the item, and that payment has already been made. You will then be asked to provide either your mobile number / email address to receive payment. Shortly after, you will receive a link from the "courier".
- Or, they are paying through Carousell Protection and that they will need your mobile number / email address to complete the order. Shortly after, you will receive a link from "Carousell".
  
  That website is often disguised to look like it's from the delivery courier or Carousell, and you will be prompted to key in your credit card details to receive payment. Sometimes, the link may even direct you to a fake Carousell customer service site, pretending to be a Carousell customer service agent to ask for your credit card details to receive payment.
  
  We would like to reminder our sellers in Hong Kong that Carousell Protection is NOT available in Hong Kong at the moment and that our customer service agent will never ask for your full credit card details.
  
  Be wary when receiving links / SMS / emails / QR codes, and never key in personal details into unknown links. Even if you receive an SMS from "Carousell", keep a close look out for Carousell impersonators. For example, the sender may be from "Carouse I I" (using capitalised "i" or "1" to look like a small "L"). Also, just because a link contains "Carousell" doesn't mean that it is a legitimate Carousell link! For more tips on identifying suspicious links claiming to be from Carousell, please refer here.

[Oct 2022] Seller - Beware of the rise in cheque scams. When you receive bank transfer payment from buyer, we strongly advise you to check your bank account to ensure the payment is instantly reflected in your available balance. If you are meeting up with the buyer, avoid accepting cheques as payment as there is a risk of the cheque being invalid.
[Aug 2022🥮] With Mid-autumn Festival around the corner, pay extra attention if you are looking to buy mooncakes / mooncakes vouchers online! We strongly encourage you to only buy from verified sellers with reviews and more selling history. Also, choose meet-up if possible.
[Jul 2022] Stay alert if you are:
- Buyer who is looking for furniture items - We've noticed scammers who use new accounts to post furniture listings with empty description. They will try to direct you out of Carousell for contact and become uncontactable once the payment is received. Remember always and only communicate within the platform!
- Seller - There's scammers who use new accounts to approach sellers and claim would like to receive the item through delivery. They often direct you out of Carousell for further contact, or instruct you to click on links that resemble Carousell, which ask for your credit card details. Please note that Carousell Protection is not available in Hong Kong and we will never direct you to websites to key in personal information. For more tips on phishing emails or suspicious links claiming to be from Carousell, please refer to here.
- Seller - Beware of the rise in cheque scams. When you receive bank transfer payment from buyer, we strongly advise you to check your bank account to ensure the payment is instantly reflected in your available balance. If you are meeting up with the buyer, try to avoid accepting cheques as payment.

[Mar 2022] With the early summer holiday, there is typically an increase in scams involving gaming accounts. Always take precaution when purchasing gaming accounts, virtual or tradable in-game items. Check if the seller has a good record of transaction history and avoid making upfront payment to protect yourself!
[Feb 2022] Be careful when looking for Airpods. We've noticed a group of scammers using newly created accounts to sell Airpods, claiming it's a lucky-draw gift or they no longer need it for specific reasons. The scammers will only accept delivery and become uncontactable once payment is received.
[Jan 2022] Be careful when dealing with sellers whose accounts are newly created with gibberish usernames (e.g. hdhdhshjd). These scammers usually sell polaroid camera, toys, currency exchange service. Buyers will be asked to make payment via Alipay, only to have the seller becomes uncontactable afterwards.
[Nov 2021] Don't drop your guard just because it's an old account / long-term seller! We’ve noticed a trend whereby scammers use older accounts to sell items including electronics (e.g. Kindle, Logitech, VR headset), themed park tickets, hobbies & toys. The scammers will initially pretend to be willing to do meet-ups yet to have them cancelled with excuses and suggest delivery instead. The recipient last name is often specific and non-local such as "JIANG", "XIU", "ZHANG" etc,.
When it comes to luxury items, be extra alert if the product is brand new, claimed authentic yet significantly cheaper than the market price -- it's probably too good to be true! Ask the seller more questions before you proceed to purchase.

Articles in this section