SF Express Hong Kong announced that it will stop sending SMS text messages to customers starting on Monday in the wake of a rising risk of fraudulent scams posed by counterfeit messages.

The courier said all notifications for package pick-ups will now be sent exclusively through the official mobile application.

The company said it received more than 800 inquiries and reports of fraud in the first quarter, a nearly fourfold increase compared to the same period last year.

Most of the cases involved scammers sending text messages that masqueraded as having emanated from the company and claiming delivery addresses were incomplete or required additional shipping fees, it said, thereby tricking individuals into entering personal information on fake websites or making transfers.

Superintendent Theodora Lee from the police's Anti-Deception Coordination Centre welcomed SF Express's decision to cease sending SMS pick-up notifications, stating that this move sets a good example within the industry and helps raise public awareness of counterfeit messages.

SF Express Hong Kong started transitioning from SMS notifications to the "SFHK APP" for package pick-up alerts since August.