Police's efforts to enhance awareness of phone scams paid off as many phone deception attempts were thwarted recently by the staff of money changers, thanks to their alertness. The staff, commended by the police, said copies of the latest anti-telephone-deception fliers distributed by police officers made them more aware of the crime.

SSDIV

Acting Commander of Sheung Shui Division (SSDIV) Li Hon-man presented a letter of commendation to the owner of a money changer on August 7 for his contribution to foiling a telephone deception.

On July 29, a woman received an anonymous phone call, in which the caller posing as a Mainland Public Security officer accused her of having participated in money-laundering activities on the Mainland.  The caller further told the woman to pay $170,000 into a Mainland bank account to prove her innocence.

The woman then withdrew the amount in cash and proceeded to a money changer to remit the money.  Being vigilant and aware of the current trend of telephone deception, the money changer  told her that she had been cheated.

MOSDIV

Acting Ma On Shan (MOSDIV) Divisional Commander Ko Kit-nam presented an appreciation certificate to the owner of a money changer on August 4 for helping foil three cases of phone deception on three consecutive days.  On each occasion, the owner, suspecting that a customer might have been cheated into making a remittance, immediately alerted Task Force officers of MOSDIV, who rushed to the shop to make enquiries, successfully stopping remittances of a total of $500,000 to conmen.

NPDIV

Task Force Sub-unit of North Point Division (TFSU NPDIV) officers commended a money changer staff in early August for foiling a telephone deception attempt.  A 70-year-old woman received a phone call on July 26, alleging that she was involved in a money laundering activity on the Mainland and instructing her to pay $600,000 into a Mainland account. The granny withdrew the amount from bank and went to a money changer in North Point.

The money changer staff, noticing the granny's flurried look, called the hotline of TFSU NPDIV immediately. Officers rushed to the scene and stopped the elder from remitting her money.