Fake Hong Kong university job and admission ads target mainland students
Fraudsters are using Xiaohongshu to post fake recruitment and admissions offers from Hong Kong universities, demanding up to 300,000 yuan for guaranteed jobs. Investigators found impersonations of multiple institutions, with one agent offering an "internal recommendation" for that sum. Universities
Fraudsters are targeting mainland students with fake recruitment and admissions offers purporting to come from Hong Kong universities, including one scheme demanding 300,000 yuan (HK$352,383) for an “internal recommendation” said to guarantee a job.
An investigation by Sing Tao Headline, a sister publication of The Standard, found numerous posts on Xiaohongshu impersonating major Hong Kong institutions, including Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University and City University of Hong Kong. Some posts advertised jobs at purported mainland offices of the universities, involving admissions promotion, institutional partnerships and project operations.
Posing as a mainland graduate, a reporter contacted an agent advertising vacancies at a purported “PolyU Shanghai office.” The agent provided a WeChat QR code and asked the reporter to continue the conversation there, requesting personal information and a resume. The agent claimed to offer not only full-time positions at the supposed PolyU office but also jobs at state-owned enterprises and foreign companies.
The reporter was then referred to a “teacher” for career advice. During a WeChat call, the person repeatedly asked about the reporter’s educational background, job expectations and number of applications submitted. After being told the reporter had applied for more than 30 jobs, the “teacher” said the figure was too low, questioned the reporter’s confidence and described their academic background as average, saying it would be difficult to secure suitable work in a market “flooded” with university graduates. The agent later reinforced the assessment, telling the reporter there was little chance of being hired through normal recruitment channels. Instead, the agent proposed an “internal recommendation” through the “teacher’s” purported connections with senior university officials, costing 300,000 yuan, with the money allegedly intended for gifts to “relevant individuals.”
PolyU has since warned on Xiaohongshu about false recruitment advertisements impersonating the university. It said some agencies and individuals had published inaccurate recruitment information in its name, adding that the material was seriously inconsistent with the facts, damaged the university’s reputation and could mislead the public. Police advised jobseekers to use trusted recruitment channels and remain vigilant when searching for work online or through social media. They warned against advertisements offering unusually attractive pay without requiring relevant qualifications or experience, and urged applicants to verify an employer’s background, business operations, job duties and workplace before proceeding. Where a recruitment post claims to represent an institution or major company, jobseekers should contact the organization directly to confirm its authenticity, police said.
Similar tactics have also been used in fake university admissions schemes. One Xiaohongshu post impersonating Tung Wah College claimed the institution was accepting applications for a Master of Business Administration program beginning in September 2027, with tuition fees of between HK$250,000 and HK$280,000. When a reporter posing as a mainland applicant contacted the poster, they were told the program was popular and urged to pay HK$280,000 in tuition. The poster also offered to arrange recommendation letters for applicants unable to obtain one from a university teacher or employer, charging 50,000 yuan for the service. Tung Wah College later said on its official Instagram account that it did not offer an MBA program and that the promotional material had not been issued by the college. It said it had never authorized any organization or individual to produce or publish such material.
Fraudulent posts have also impersonated the Education University of Hong Kong, advertising a purported “master’s program taught during the winter and summer holidays.” A reporter was told classes would be concentrated during school holidays so they would not interfere with work, and that admission could be secured for 300,000 yuan. EdUHK warned on Xiaohongshu that prospective students should obtain course information only through the university’s official website and social media accounts. It added that it had not partnered with any agency to recruit students.