HKMC Annuity Mr. Well-Planned FAQs-Answered Series: Safeguard Your Retirement Assets

Mr. Well-Planned has just received his monthly annuity income from the HKMC Annuity Plan¹, so he is enjoying some soup dumplings at a renowned Chinese restaurant.

The TV news reports that recently, fraudsters have been impersonating banks, insurance companies, telecom companies, and even influencers to publish fake content in order to deceive people. Many have fallen victim to scams simply by answering a call or clicking on a link in a text message.

Mr. Kim and Mrs. Kim, fellow customers at the restaurant and neighbors of Mr. Well-Planned, have recently retired and are worried about falling victim to scams. Knowing that Mr. Well-Planned is "bulletproof" when it comes to dealing with fraudsters and is always well-prepared against scams, so they take this opportunity to ask him for some anti-scam tips. 

Mr. Kim: Fraudsters keep coming up with new tricks. Could you give me a few tips so we won't be so easily fooled?

Mr. Well-Planned: I know you are smart, but I have to repeat myself, be careful, careful, and more careful!

Scams happen all the time, so why not consider transforming part of your hard-earned savings into an annuity? Apart from helping you systematically withdraw your retirement savings, it also locks in your savings until you pass away. That way, if you are unfortunate enough to fall for a scam, at least you can protect the portion transformed into annuity, minimising your losses. As the saying goes, "If you have money, you can be fooled; if you have no money, the scammers become idle."

Mrs. Kim: I'm worried that if a scammer notices my interest in the HKMC Annuity Plan, they might impersonate HKMC Annuity staff and approach me. What tips can you share to help me avoid falling for such tricks?

Mr. Well-Planned: Here are some tips for you:

• Sales meetings and applications for the HKMC Annuity Plan are conducted only at Customer Service Centres located in Causeway Bay, Kwun Tong, or Lai Chi Kok, and these are handled exclusively by licensed HKMC Annuity sales representatives. If someone asks you to meet elsewhere for an application, consider it a red flag.
• Do not provide any personal or financial information to suspicious individuals or through links in suspicious messages.
• HKMC Annuity does not accept premium payment by cash or post-dated cheque, no matter which payment method you choose to settle the premiums, please make sure the payment must be payable to "HKMC Annuity Limited."
• Stop and think twice. If in doubt, call 2512 5000 to verify with HKMC Annuity, or contact the Police Anti-Deception Coordination Center's “Anti-Scam Helpline 18222” for assistance.
  
  

Mr. Kim: How can I distinguish fraudulent calls and SMS that impersonate HKMC Annuity?

Mr. Well-Planned: If you receive a suspicious call claiming to be from HKMC Annuity, always verify the caller's identity. If they refuse to identify themselves, end the conversation immediately. If you have any doubts, do not disclose any personal information to the suspicious caller or agree to any requests. After ending the call, immediately call 2512 5000 to verify with HKMC Annuity.

Additionally, HKMC Annuity has joined the Office of the Communications Authority's "SMS Sender Registration Scheme." Starting from 3 June 2024, all SMS messages sent by HKMC Annuity will use one of the following registered sender names:

1. #HKMCA
2. #hkmca
3. #HKMCAcs
4. #HKMCAmkt
5. #HKMCAbiz
6. #HKMCAdm
7. #HKMCAinfo

Be cautious if you receive a message from any sender name that does not begin with a "#", avoid clicking links indiscriminately!

¹ Guaranteed monthly annuity payment varies with the insured's age and gender at application. If partial surrender or special withdrawal has been made, the subsequent guaranteed monthly annuity payments will be reduced.

Disclaimer: The HKMC Annuity Plan is a life insurance product subject to terms and conditions and involves risks. The information above is for reference only and intended for use in Hong Kong only. It shall not be construed as an offer to sell, solicitation to purchase or provision of any products outside Hong Kong by the HKMC Annuity Limited.