Second phone-scam suspect arrested after retired Hong Kong businessman cheated out of HK$409,000

2015-8-1

■ The suspect is led away by police yesterday

A suspected telephone con artist was in police custody last night after being arrested on suspicion of cheating a retired businessman out of HK$409,000.

The 29-year-old man, a Hong Kong resident, was the second suspect arrested in two days in connection with the scam, in which tricksters pose as mainland officials to cheat locals.

"We believe he was recruited to work as a money collector for a syndicate," said Chief Inspector Chung Chi-ming of Kowloon East regional crime unit.

He said officers were investigating whether the suspect was linked to other cases.

The latest victim, a 73-year-old in Kowloon City, received a call on Monday from a man who claimed to represent the mainland's Public Security Bureau.

"The victim was told that his personal information was stolen and used to open a bank account on the mainland that was linked with a criminal case," Chung said. "The victim was requested to hand over some cash during the investigation or all his assets would have been restrained."

Following instructions, the victim went to Yau Ma Tei on Tuesday and handed over the money. But he became suspicious and called police after he received a telephone call the next day asking for more money.

Officers arrested the 29-year-old man in Yau Ma Tei at about 5pm on Thursday, but no money was recovered.

On Wednesday police arrested a 30-year-old Hong Kong woman on suspicion of cheating a retired woman out of HK$200,000 last week.

Police have set up a task force to combat the fake-official scam as the number of such telephone crimes skyrocketed to more than 700 cases involving HK$85.4 million last month. There were 200 cases involving HK$26.7 million in the first six months of the year.

Police say the fraudsters claim to represent Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong, mainland police, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, banks or courier providers in an attempt to scam locals over the phone. Victims are usually told they have broken mainland laws and are asked to prove their willingness to cooperate by transferring money to mainland bank accounts.

Police believe the masterminds work outside the city but have accomplices in Hong Kong.

Source: South China Morning Post