From RTHK News today, Hong Kong recorded 68,015 crimes in the first nine months of 2026, a 2.1% increase from the previous year. Fraud cases accounted for half of these, with 34,679 incidents, marking a 7.9% year-on-year rise, with total losses reaching HK$6.02 billion.

That puts Hong Kong on pace for about 46,240 fraud cases for 2026, and about 90,690 crimes in total. How does that compare with the past? Hong Kong's 2026 Annual Digest of Statistics from the Census and Statistics Department was just published last week, and it includes data on reported crimes from the past 5 years and from 2015. A ten-year comparison of data is useful.

A few observations about the 10-year trend:

1. The 782% increase in murder and manslaughter is slightly misleading, as the 169 victims of the Tai Po fire disaster have been classified as manslaughter. Exclude the victims at Wang Fuk Court and you have 25 crimes for murder and manslaughter, a slight decrease from 2015.

2. A 328% increase in deception and fraud compared with 2015, while thefts have fallen across the board. That makes sense; why risk committing crimes out in the open when you can do it online from the comfort of your own home?

3. A 123% increase in police-recorded child cruelty cases. The jump occurred in 2021 (from 300 cases in 2020 to 525); the increase is thought to reflect a combination of factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic and a change in reporting behaviour by the public.

4. Despite a 30% increase in the overall crime rate per capita in the past decade, Hong Kong is still one of the safest major cities in the world, with crime rates comparable with Tokyo, Singapore, and Taipei.

Police Commissioner Joe Chow also made a few other comments regarding cases involving telephone scams and fraud:

1. Telephone Scams Prevalent: Telephone scams have surpassed online shopping scams as the most common category, with nearly 10,000 cases reported, making up about 30% of all fraud cases and resulting in losses of HK$1.94 billion.

2. Surge in Recent Cases: Between August and September 2026, over 3,900 telephone scam cases were recorded, with 80% involving impersonation of customer service representatives. This trend is alarming, as most scammers are using local phone numbers, making it difficult for victims to identify them as fraudsters.

3. Exploitation of Telecom Services: The police discovered that some individuals obtain phone cards through legitimate means and then hand them over to scam groups. Renting or selling phone cards is not illegal, and it may prompt authorities to consider legislative changes.

4. Internet Phone Service Vulnerabilities: Scammers are increasingly exploiting vulnerabilities in internet phone services, which have risen from 10% to 30% of cases. These calls do not display the international dialing code "+852," misleading victims into thinking they are local calls.

Commissioner Joe Chow has asked the telecommunications companies to suspend the use of phone numbers involved in scams.

Finally, Commissioner Chow reported that there were 1,727 reports of unauthorized credit card charges for Apple's new iPhone lineup, with 1,589 reports for the iPhone 18 Pro and 138 reports for the iPhone Duo. According to Chow, Apple opted out of extra security measures which would have required buyers to verify their purchases through their bank's app.