HK Actress, 61, Exposes S$49K Romance Scam By Man In His 20s Who Targeted Her, Called Her "Fairy Sister"

Scams come in so many forms these days, and among the long-running ones are love scams, specifically those who target the vulnerable or older people. And no, this doesn't only happen in Singapore. 

Fortunately for Hong Kong actress Strawberry Yeung Yuk Mui, 61, she was alert enough to spot the red flags and pull the plug before the situation escalated.

Recently, the 1990 ATV Miss Asia Pageant second runner-up took to Xiaohongshu to share how she was targeted for what is known as the "pig-butchering" romance scam, a form of online relationship and investment fraud in which perpetrators cultivate fake romantic or social relationships.

Strawberry revealed that earlier this year, she met a young man in his 20s at a gathering, where he approached her first.

She even joked at the time: “You’re in your 20s, you could be my grandson.”

However, the man repeatedly shared stories about building his own business from scratch.

"I thought this guy was quite ambitious," she said. The pair then exchanged contact details.

The man soon launched an intense courtship.

He sent her messages every morning, afternoon and night, constantly checking in on her and showing concern. Every night, he would also try to flirt with her over text, sending messages such as: "Have you had breakfast?, "It's raining, wear more clothes and don't get a cold" and “Big sister, are you asleep yet?”.

"Sometimes he even called me 'fairy sister'," she said.

To gain her trust, he frequently posted photos on social media showing himself playing golf, travelling and attending business gatherings, attempting to create the image of a successful entrepreneur.

After just two months of chatting, the man finally revealed his true intentions.

He claimed that he had a “major project” facing a temporary cash-flow issue and asked Strawberry to invest HK$300,000 (S$49,000).

“I’ll return the money tomorrow and give you an extra five per cent [interest],” he promised, even claiming that the funds could double in value after being invested for just over a month.

Recognising the classic red flags of a scam, Strawberry immediately saw through the scheme.

In her video, she angrily addressed the scammer, saying: “Do you think your 61-year-old sister is stupid? Have I lived all these years for nothing? Do you think I’m a pig waiting to be slaughtered?”

"Afterwards, he stopped contacting me entirely."

She said scammers often target older single women, assuming that they are lonely and seeking romance, making them easier to exploit.

But for Strawberry and many of her friends, their lives are fulfilling, and they have their own work and priorities, so they would not fall for such tricks.

Many have since praised the actress for being highly alert and described her as a true “clear-headed” example.

They agreed that scammers who assume older women are easier to deceive are making a serious mistake, and praised her for setting a strong example in fraud prevention.