A fake press release that congratulated a Hong Kong woman who became a star in the Japanese adult film industry that appeared to come from the city’s culture chief has been reported to police.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung’s team acted after the fake, which looked like it came from the government’s media office, was circulated on online forum LIHKG on Wednesday.

The “release” congratulated Erena So, originally from the city, after she became an exclusive actress for a Japanese adult filmmaker and online pornography platform.

But a spokesman for the Culture, Sport and Tourism Bureau “sternly clarified that the fake press release was not issued via the government news and media information system and the case has been reported to the police”.

The fake press release congratulating Erena So on being signed to a Japanese adult filmmaker.

The release was written in the same style as a genuine one from Yeung that congratulated Malaysian-born actress Michelle Yeoh, who became a star in Hong Kong in the 1980s and 90s, after she won the Oscar for best actress for sci-fi comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once this week.

The link to the fake release, which fuelled heated discussion online and off, was later removed.

Kevin Yeung, the city’s culture chief.

A police spokesman said the force had received a complaint and the cybersecurity and technology crime bureau had launched an investigation. No arrests have been made so far.

So, who already has 132,000 followers on Instagram, shot to prominence after she was listed as a new star on the platform.

The fake release came in the wake of a string of similar internet scams designed to fool the public.

The judiciary on Wednesday warned the public to beware of phishing emails sent from a gmail account in the name of “Mr Justice Anthony Chan”, which claimed that it was issued on behalf of the High Court judge.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) also issued an alert after members of the public contacted it about SMS messages that appeared to come from its staff.

The messages told recipients to follow up on matters related to bank accounts and fund transfers.

But an HKMA spokesman said the organisation would “not contact the public with regard to personal financial matters”.

The Water Supplies Department also appealed to the public not to be taken in by a fraudulent SMS message that used its name.

The message was about overcharging for water and a refund arrangement.

A department spokesman said the link in the message – wsd-govhk.info – was not its website.

The judiciary, the HKMA and the department have reported the scams to the police.