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JackTheBat Forum Moderator UID 56406 Digest Posts 0 Credits 32073 Posts 2113 Karma 31685 Acceptance 7763 Reading Access 150 Registered 1-12-2010 Status Offline

#1 Post at 18-6-2021 02:37  Profile Blog P.M.  Font size: S M L COVID-19 pandemic sparks surge in Hong Kong 'devil's breath' cash druggings COVID-19 pandemic sparks surge in Hong Kong 'devil's breath' cash druggings 17 Jun 2021 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/ ... -cash-scam-15032056 HONG KONG: A spiked drink, a puff of dust, missing memories, and an empty bank account. Hong Kong's entertainment district Wanchai has been battered by a coronavirus driven collapse in tourism and as times get desperate, several men have seen their night out turn into a nightmare. It took days for Stuart to recall a crucial memory. But after speaking with another victim, it suddenly came flooding back. A woman trying to spark a conversation outside a bar, and then a man approaching with a determined look in his eye. "I thought he was going to punch me but he just blew something in my face," he recalled. "I laughed. But that was it. No memories after that." It was a breakthrough for Stuart who, like the other victims interviewed for this piece, asked to use a pseudonym. He had been trying to figure out why post-match drinks with his cricket buddies in Wanchai, a popular hangout for white-collar foreign workers, had turned into one big blackout following his encounter outside the bar. Hours were missing alongside HK$80,000 (US$10,300) - taken in six separate transactions from nearby ATMs. "It was a joint account with my missus and we have a baby on the way," the 36-year-old Brit, who moved to Hong Kong 18 months ago, told AFP. "Police said maybe I was just drunk, but why would I empty that account? It wouldn't be worth my life doing that." OPPORTUNISTIC CRIME WhatsApp groups used by Wanchai bar owners and regulars have lit up in recent months with similar stories. Most targets have no memory and awake to find accounts emptied by scammers who have drugged their unwitting victims - largely by tampering with their drinks - to keep them pliable and obtain their pin numbers. Victims have dubbed the scam "Devil's Breath" attacks - technically the nickname for the powerful anti-nausea drug scopolamine but in this case used more as a catch-all descriptor. Spiked drinks have previously posed a small risk in Hong Kong, a largely safe city, but the pandemic has exacerbated the issue. "It's become a huge problem," one bar owner, who declined to be named, told AFP, saying multiple regulars had become victims. "The police are up and down here all night, checking our licenses, making sure we abide by pandemic restrictions. But this seems to be something they just don't, or won't, tackle," he added. The jump in cases tracks with a general rise in opportunistic crime as Hong Kong experiences its worst recession in decades. Crime figures from last year showed a 26 per cent increase in robberies, a 237 per cent jump in blackmail and an 89 per cent rise in deception. The latter two categories include phone and online scams, which have filled local media in recent months. Cybercrime was up 55 per cent last year. In a series of pandemic themed reports the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime detailed how the coronavirus has transformed crime trends. Widespread lockdowns and travel restrictions, for example, have made break-ins and international drug smuggling harder but the pandemic has been a boon for human trafficking, extortion, counterfeiting and cybercrime. Police and bar owners in Hong Kong say the vast majority of robberies are carried out by teams of sex workers, an already vulnerable group, sometimes with the help of male accomplices. "We've all struggled during the pandemic and that includes the girls," another Wanchai bar owner said. "That doesn't excuse the crime, but it helps explain why." 'PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE' Three people interviewed by AFP, including Stuart, reported the robberies but said it was a struggle to get officers to treat them as victims. "When I reported it, the officer sighed and said he already had some 90 case files on his desk," recalled James, a 41-year-old British school teacher who had HK$64,000 lifted from his account. "I was like 'Well now you have 91 cases mate'." All three said they struggled to get crucial data from their bank HSBC to give to police. HSBC did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Police said such crimes had risen during the pandemic and that the force had ramped up operations, including deploying intelligence teams and specialist anti-triad officers. "I think you can rest assured that we are putting a lot of resources now to fight these kinds of crimes," Acting Assistant District Commander Glenn Ho Siu-tung told AFP. He conceded there may be room for improvement on how police treat victims. "I think we will have to spend some time educating frontline officers," Ho said, adding drinkers need to remain vigilant and not leave out any details when reporting crimes. Victims, meanwhile, say the trauma of what they experienced is worse than the lost money. "It's the psychological damage it does to you," said Stuart. "You just can't fathom how you could be so compliant". Recent Ratings C090409920   24-6-2021 16:15   Acceptance   +5   This is a dark rabbit hole. I can fully see the police half-assing these types of reports. kali657   20-6-2021 20:34   Acceptance   +2   I've been drugged and ripped off at HK Cafe many times. I got my money back once on the credit card because I reported ... anabikumi   19-6-2021 12:11   Acceptance   +3   Yikes! trust_00   19-6-2021 03:02   Acceptance   +5   Thanks for the warning sjtopher   19-6-2021 02:08   Acceptance   +3   wow Weelock   18-6-2021 17:33   Acceptance   +5   if they blacked out, how was the pin numbers obtained, Usually there's a max one can withdraw from ATM per day. austin821   18-6-2021 13:54   Acceptance   +5   Not good for blokes like me who don't mind going out drinking alone in these bars.... obe   18-6-2021 09:23   Acceptance   +10   I heard of this happening a few years ago. Terrible.

JackTheBat Forum Moderator UID 56406 Digest Posts 0 Credits 32073 Posts 2113 Karma 31685 Acceptance 7763 Reading Access 150 Registered 1-12-2010 Status Offline

#2 Post at 18-6-2021 23:58  Profile Blog P.M.  Font size: S M L @ Weelock: "Hours were missing alongside HK$80,000 (US$10,300) - taken in six separate transactions from nearby ATMs...Most targets have no memory and awake to find accounts emptied by scammers who have drugged their unwitting victims - largely by tampering with their drinks - to keep them pliable and obtain their pin numbers." This happened to one of the 141 forum contributors in 2011. Here's the report from wander: https://forum.sex141.com/eforum/viewthread.php?tid=29398 I recall being at Amazonia with friend Friday nite.  He tells me he last saw me at 3am or so when he left.., and he said I seemed fine then.  The rest of the that nite and Saturday until 7pm is GONE.  I remember nothing until finding myself in a taxi but with no money, no phone (shit) but thankfully still with my wallet and credit cards.  All day Saturday I was somewhere, but I have no idea where.  Unconsious in a room somewhere?  Fuck, I dont know!! My SO panicked, as you can imagine.  She filed a missing person's report.  I had about HK$3000 in my wallet stolen, plus my phone.  From 3am until Saturday at 7pm I recall nothing.  Nothing at all. Worth reading the entire thread. Here's a follow-up comment from bro wander: The police took a record of what I remembered and asked if it is possible I just spent all the cash and lost my phone in a drunken stupor.  I could only reply that there is NO WAY I would vanish from my family all bloody day! NO WAY I would forget everything for damn near 12 hours!!  They said okay then - they'll ask around and talk to the bars.  I bloody hope they do that!! I didnt get the sense they were putting this on a very high priority.  Instead, I got the sense they were thiniking I'm "Just some drunken punter who took it a bit too far and is now covering his tracks!".  Yeah, I am a drunken punter - but someone STILL drugged and robbed me!!  Damn near killed me!!  And it will happen again! JtB Recent Ratings obe   19-6-2021 09:30   Acceptance   +10   I never knew it happened to Bro Wander

hulk2211 Kinky King UID 26740 Digest Posts 0 Credits 1640 Posts 305 Karma 1609 Acceptance 625 Reading Access 50 Registered 23-6-2009 Location Oregon Status Offline

#3 Post at 19-6-2021 00:09  Profile P.M.  Font size: S M L This shit does happen.  I got roofied with a friend of mine a few years back in Neptune 3.  We both got robbed of what we had in our wallets but no atm withdrawals so at least it wasn't a ton of money.  After that, I have eyes in the back of my head.  Stay safe. Recent Ratings obe   19-6-2021 09:30   Acceptance   +10   Wow. Sorry to hear this. JackTheBat   19-6-2021 01:55   Acceptance   +10   Sympathy As. Feel free to write up a report if you like.

obe Sex God UID 89973 Digest Posts 0 Credits 24068 Posts 2738 Karma 23779 Acceptance 5781 Reading Access 110 Registered 19-5-2012 Status Offline

#4 Post at 19-6-2021 09:33  Profile P.M.  Font size: S M L Reply #3 hulk2211's post Gee I have been intoxicated walking around Wanchai bar Hopping many many times. My last time there was 2017 and I miss the place although it became bloody expensive.   Stay safe. Obe Please award me Acceptance points and give Karma to another deserving bro.

Bloodrage Lustful Lord UID 204986 Digest Posts 0 Credits 923 Posts 89 Karma 902 Acceptance 411 Reading Access 40 Registered 5-7-2017 Status Offline

#5 Post at 19-6-2021 19:44  Profile P.M.  Font size: S M L Reply #1 JackTheBat's post Documentary on Devil's Breath. https://youtu.be/ToQ8PWYnu04 "if you exceed the dose, you run the risk of the person dying"

thedude Throbbing Titan UID 6251 Digest Posts 0 Credits 3714 Posts 324 Karma 3686 Acceptance 560 Reading Access 70 Registered 24-12-2007 Location shag ri la Status Offline

#6 Post at 20-6-2021 21:22  Profile P.M.  Font size: S M L Reply #1 JackTheBat's post I believe that most ATM cards are preset to $80,000 daily withdraw limit. I can't imagine ever needing so much $ for a daily cash transaction. You can lower the daily limit by going to ATM and amend it to something more sensible.  I dropped mine to 20k. While it won't prevent you from getting rolled, it will lessen the pain - slightly. Recent Ratings kali657   22-6-2021 13:58   Acceptance   +2   I have my credit limit set really low now (5K). I never bring the ATM card. Some bad stuff could still happen though. 'the dude abides'

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