In a major international law enforcement effort, police forces from Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, the Maldives, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand joined forces to conduct the first large-scale operation under the “FRONTIER+” anti-fraud platform, resulting in the arrest of 1,858 suspects and the disruption of fraud schemes worth HKD150 million ($20 million).
The month-long operation (April 28 – May 28) mobilized over 2,700 officers across seven jurisdictions, targeting cross-border fraud networks involved in online shopping scams, impersonation schemes, investment fraud, rental scams, and fake job offers.
Authorities also froze 32,607 bank accounts and intercepted $20 million in illicit funds, dealing a significant blow to organized cybercrime syndicates.
Fraud trends shift across borders
Investigations revealed that scammers frequently adapt tactics across regions. For instance, fake customer service scams surged in Hong Kong in 2024 before declining in 2025 due to police countermeasures—only to resurface in Singapore and Macau this year using nearly identical scripts.
“This pattern shows that fraudsters operate transnationally, making cross-border collaboration essential,” said a Hong Kong Police spokesperson. “By sharing intelligence and coordinating arrests, we can stay ahead of these criminal networks.”
Launched in October 2024, the FRONTIER+ platform now includes 10 member jurisdictions: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, the Maldives, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand.
The alliance focuses on real-time intelligence sharing, joint operations, and freezing criminal assets to combat fraud, cybercrime, and money laundering.
“We plan to expand this network further to enhance global fraud prevention,” the spokesperson added.
At a press conference, Cheong Wun Hung, head of Macau’s Judicary Police Anti-Fraud Coordination Center, highlighted the region’s efforts, including: 78 fraud cases uncovered, with losses totaling MOP12 million ($1.4 million); 9 arrests and 8 frozen accounts, recovering MOP67 million (8.2 million); a three-pronged strategy (“Prevent, Recover, Strike”) that has blocked 597 fraudulent transactions totalling MOP110 million ($13.5 million) since 2024.
Macau has also seen a rise in government impersonation scams and high-value investment fraud, prompting increased public awareness campaigns.
Authorities emphasized that future operations will involve more countries, alongside enhanced public education to help citizens recognize and avoid scams.
“This is just the beginning,” said Cheong. “We will continue to work with international partners to dismantle these criminal networks and protect our communities.”
