Request for Academic Research Data: Cyber Deception Indicators and Case Archives (MSc Project)
Dear Hong Kong Police Force Crime Wing,
I am a Master of Science student majoring in Cyber Security at the University of Hong Kong. I am writing to request data for academic purposes to build a Proof of Concept (PoC) AI model for detecting local cyber scams.
To ensure data privacy, I am requesting information only from closed or convicted cases where the information is less sensitive.
I would like to request:
a) A sample set of anonymized scam message texts (SMS or Chat logs) recovered from convicted cases (e.g., Investment or "Pig Butchering" scams); and
b) A list of technical indicators (e.g., URL links, IP addresses, or phone numbers) used by the convicts in these closed cases.
I do not require personal particulars of the arrested persons, only the digital footprint (the messages and technical tools) they used. A small sample size (e.g., 50-100 entries) in CSV or Excel format would be sufficient for this PoC.
Thank you for your assistance.
Yours faithfully,
LUK YING HO
Dear Mr LUK,
I refer to your application to Crime Wing requesting information
under the Code on Access to Information dated 26.1.2026. For our reply,
please refer to the preceding email from the Cyber Security and Technology
Crime Bureau which was sent to you on 4.2.2026.
2. Please contact me at 2860 8156 if you have any enquiry.
Regards,
Samantha LAW
Crime Wing Access to Information Officer
for Commissioner of Police
ip-sip-col-5-csd-cstcb/CSTCB/STATION/POLICE/HKSARG To: [email address],
[email address]
2026/02/04 09:33 Cc: eo-cstcb/CSTCB/STATION/POLICE/HKSARG@HPF,
sp-csd-cstcb/CSTCB/STATION/POLICE/HKSARG@HPF,
cip-2-csd-cstcb/CSTCB/STATION/POLICE/HKSARG@HPF
Subject: Re: Fw: [RESTRICTED] Fw: Freedom of Information
request - Request for Data – MSc Cyber Security
Reference: Project (HKU) (Reply by 2026-02-04)
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Dear Requestor,
Thank you for your email and for your interest in conducting academic
research on cyber scam detection.
We note your request for anonymized scam message texts and technical
indicators derived from closed or convicted cases for the purpose of
building a proof-of-concept AI model. We also appreciate your attention to
data privacy and ethical considerations.
After careful review, we would like to clarify that the Scameter project
([1]https://cyberdefender.hk/scameter/) does not maintain a database that
distinguishes whether reported scam cases have resulted in conviction. The
data currently available to the project mainly relates to suspected or
reported cybercrime cases that may still be under investigation. As such,
we are unable to provide scam message texts or technical indicators
explicitly confirmed to be from closed or convicted cases.
That said, in support of academic research and public education
objectives, we would like to offer the following alternative datasets for
your consideration:
- A sample set of anonymized phishing SMS message texts; and
- A sample list of phishing-related URLs,
both derived from reported and validated phishing cases handled by the
Scameter project. The data will not contain personal particulars and can
be provided in CSV or Excel format, with an indicative sample size of
approximately 50 to 100 entries.
Please note that the proposed datasets are intended strictly for research
and educational purposes and do not imply that the associated cases have
been adjudicated or resulted in conviction.
Should this alternative arrangement be acceptable, please let us know and
advise if you have any preferred data format or specific research
constraints, so that we may proceed accordingly.
Thank you for your understanding and for your contribution to
cybersecurity research.
Please contact the undersigned at 3661 7701 or
[email address] if you have any further issue.
Thanks.
Best regards,
IP Yat-nam, Alvin
Detective Senior Inspector of Police
Collaboration Team 5, Cyber Security Division
Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau
Hong Kong Police Force
Tel.: 3661 7701
*** This e-mail message (together with any attachments) is for the
designated recipient only. It may contain information that is privileged.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
use, retention, disclosure, copying, printing, forwarding or dissemination
of the message is strictly prohibited. If you have received the message in
error, please erase all copies of the message (including attachments) from
your system and notify the sender immediately. ***
*** 此電郵訊息(連同任何附件)只發送給指定收件人。訊息可能包含享有特權資料。
謹此通知，如你並非預定收件人，嚴禁使用、保留、披露、複製、列印、轉發或發布
此訊息。如收到誤發的訊息，請把訊息的所有副本(包括附件)從系統內清除，並立即
通知發件人。***
References
Visible links
1. https://cyberdefender.hk/scameter/
Dear Mr LUK,
I refer to your application to Crime Wing requesting information
under the Code on Access to Information dated 26.1.2026. For our reply,
please refer to the preceding email from the Cyber Security and Technology
Crime Bureau which was sent to you on 4.2.2026.
2. Please contact me at 2860 8156 if you have any enquiry.
Regards,
Samantha LAW
Crime Wing Access to Information Officer
for Commissioner of Police
ip-sip-col-5-csd-cstcb/CSTCB/STATION/POLICE/HKSARG To: [email address],
[email address]
2026/02/04 09:33 Cc: eo-cstcb/CSTCB/STATION/POLICE/HKSARG@HPF,
sp-csd-cstcb/CSTCB/STATION/POLICE/HKSARG@HPF,
cip-2-csd-cstcb/CSTCB/STATION/POLICE/HKSARG@HPF
Subject: Re: Fw: [RESTRICTED] Fw: Freedom of Information
request - Request for Data – MSc Cyber Security
Reference: Project (HKU) (Reply by 2026-02-04)
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Dear Requestor,
Thank you for your email and for your interest in conducting academic
research on cyber scam detection.
We note your request for anonymized scam message texts and technical
indicators derived from closed or convicted cases for the purpose of
building a proof-of-concept AI model. We also appreciate your attention to
data privacy and ethical considerations.
After careful review, we would like to clarify that the Scameter project
([1]https://cyberdefender.hk/scameter/) does not maintain a database that
distinguishes whether reported scam cases have resulted in conviction. The
data currently available to the project mainly relates to suspected or
reported cybercrime cases that may still be under investigation. As such,
we are unable to provide scam message texts or technical indicators
explicitly confirmed to be from closed or convicted cases.
That said, in support of academic research and public education
objectives, we would like to offer the following alternative datasets for
your consideration:
- A sample set of anonymized phishing SMS message texts; and
- A sample list of phishing-related URLs,
both derived from reported and validated phishing cases handled by the
Scameter project. The data will not contain personal particulars and can
be provided in CSV or Excel format, with an indicative sample size of
approximately 50 to 100 entries.
Please note that the proposed datasets are intended strictly for research
and educational purposes and do not imply that the associated cases have
been adjudicated or resulted in conviction.
Should this alternative arrangement be acceptable, please let us know and
advise if you have any preferred data format or specific research
constraints, so that we may proceed accordingly.
Thank you for your understanding and for your contribution to
cybersecurity research.
Please contact the undersigned at 3661 7701 or
[email address] if you have any further issue.
Thanks.
Best regards,
IP Yat-nam, Alvin
Detective Senior Inspector of Police
Collaboration Team 5, Cyber Security Division
Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau
Hong Kong Police Force
Tel.: 3661 7701
*** This e-mail message (together with any attachments) is for the
designated recipient only. It may contain information that is privileged.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
use, retention, disclosure, copying, printing, forwarding or dissemination
of the message is strictly prohibited. If you have received the message in
error, please erase all copies of the message (including attachments) from
your system and notify the sender immediately. ***
*** 此電郵訊息(連同任何附件)只發送給指定收件人。訊息可能包含享有特權資料。
謹此通知，如你並非預定收件人，嚴禁使用、保留、披露、複製、列印、轉發或發布
此訊息。如收到誤發的訊息，請把訊息的所有副本(包括附件)從系統內清除，並立即
通知發件人。***
References
Visible links
1. https://cyberdefender.hk/scameter/