HSBC HK unveils art exhibition on fraud prevention

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HSBC is launching a bank-led fraud (呃) fair, an art exhibition aimed at promoting public awareness of fraud prevention. Taking place at Airside, Kai Tak from 22 November until 11 December 2023, the fraud fair plays on the Chinese word “呃” (fraud), which sounds like the English word “art”.

The fraud fair comes as Hong Kong sees a significant rise in fraud incidents. HSBC cited the government’s official figures that, the number of deception cases in the first half of 2023 increased more than 50% year-on-year. Online deception accounted for over 75% of the reported cases. The total pecuniary loss amounted to HK$2.69 billion.

In partnership with creative agency Hungry Digital and PR agency Hill & Knowlton, the fraud fair will showcase over 20 physical and interactive artworks that highlight common fraud tactics through the use of vernacular language and derivative art techniques.

These artworks have drawn inspiration from the experiences of the members of the public, who have fallen victim to various types of scams. These exhibits aim to establish a stronger connection with audiences and make it easier to comprehend the impact of these fraudulent activities.

In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Cheuk Shum, head of marketing, wealth & personal Banking, HSBC, said that the fraud fair targeted the mass audience as the bank hoped that it could help raise awareness of different kinds of fraud and prevention amongst the general public.

“Anything can be an art piece when it’s done to an extreme, including fraud. In this campaign, we played on words such as "fraud" (呃) and ‘Art’. Also, HongKongers have become more interested in viewing art in recent years. We found that purely informative, video or print ads may no longer catch audiences’ attention.”

“Therefore, we hope to offer an experiential, immersive, interactive and fun experience for them through an exhibition in a shopping mall, which is suitable for all age groups,” Shum added.

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To establish a stronger connection with audiences, HSBC has invited local singer Jackson Wan (尹光) and local DJ Ah Jeng (阿正) to produce an art piece that leveraged face-swapping technology. Once visitors look at the camera, their faces will be transformed into Wan and Ah Jeng’s faces immediately. The exhibit aims to educate visitors to prevent “Deepfake” video call scams.

Luanne Lim, chief executive, Hong Kong, HSBC, said: “With the prevalence of online deception, maintaining customer confidence in digital banking is crucial. As we navigate our digital lives, it is imperative to address fraud and build trust through customer education and protection. HSBC not only provides cybersecurity thought leadership and resources but also increases its technology investment to combat fraud. We remain committed to exploring various measures against the ever-evolving tactics employed by scammers today.”

Over the next few months, HSBC will step up credit card service protection by allowing customers to disable or set limits for card-not-present transactions. The bank is also offering an enhanced authentication process for online transactions through the HSBC HK mobile banking app as an alternative to the use of a one-time password via SMS.

Maggie Ng, head of wealth and personal banking, Hong Kong, HSBC, said: “Fraud prevention is a complex topic, but we don’t need to be a subject matter expert to protect ourselves. All it takes is heightened awareness and good common sense.”

“Everyone can be a smart user of digital banking by staying vigilant against suspicious websites and safekeeping sensitive personal information. Our exhibition aims to educate and empower customers on how to avoid scams. At HSBC, we prioritise customer protection and will continue to collaborate with customers and industry stakeholders to ensure a safe banking experience for all,” she added.

Rudi Leung, director and founder, Hungry Digital, said: “Nowadays, virtually everyone, regardless of age or education level, can become victims of different scams. Our task is to turn a dull topic into an interesting, interactive, and engaging experience for the masses. In view of that, we chose Wan and Ah Jeng, who are comedians from the older and younger generation respectively.”