The blitz on phone scams gathered momentum in various units in the Force last month. The followings are some related efforts.

KE Region

Kowloon East (KE) Regional Commander Duncan McCosh officiated at the launching ceremony of a fight phone scam publicity drive at Wong Tai Sin Temple Square on August 22. Deputy Regional Commander Cheng Shuk-chun also attended the ceremony with Kwun Tong, Sau Mau Ping and Wong Tai Sin District Commanders, Junior Police Call (JPC) members, JPC Honorary Presidents, as well as 15 Teens Crime Prevention Ambassadors of Project Teens under KE Regional Crime Prevention Office (RCPO). Following the ceremony, they boarded police coaches to start a publicity parade in the three police districts. Railway District Commander also sent officers to MTR stations to lend a hand for the ground publicity campaign.

WTSDIST

The Police Community Relations Office of Wong Tai Sin District (PCRO WTSDIST) staged an Anti-telephone Deception Road Show with the KE RCPO at a shopping mall in San Po Kong on August 20.

While the road show disseminated information with display boards, games and quiz, officers alerted the public to the new deception trends, offered prevention advice and distributed anti-telephone deception leaflets and souvenirs.

SKDIV

Sai Kung Division (SKDIV) joined forces with PCRO WTSDIST and KE RCPO to conduct a Crime Prevention Campaign in Sai Kung Town and nearby villages on August 19.

The Chairman of Sai Kung District Council, Mr Ng Sze-fuk, Sai Kung District Councillor, Mr Chan Kuen-kwan, Chairman of Sai Kung Rural Committee, Mr Wong Shui-sang, and members of Sai Kung Rural Committee and JPC were on hand to support the campaign.

During the campaign, Wong Tai Sin Deputy District Commander James Betts and the guests led officers from SKDIV, WTSDIST and KE RCPO to distribute crime prevention leaflets and souvenirs to residents, villagers, visitors and shopkeepers, calling on them to pay more attention to suspicious phone calls and home security.

KCDIST

Kowloon City District (KCDIST) rolled out an Anti-telephone Deception Publicity Campaign at the Kowloon City Plaza and the area of the Kowloon City Market on August 20 when District Commander Cheung Ching, Chairman of Kowloon City DFCC, Mr Siu Chor-kee, District Officer, Mr William Tsui, Kowloon City District Councillors, DFCC members and SPC members distributed leaflets to the public, reminding them to stay alert to phone scams and not to disclose their personal details and pay any money into strangers' bank accounts.

An anti-deception publicity video was screened outside the Kowloon City Plaza, while SPC members also publicised anti-deception messages via social media.

TWDIST

Tsuen Wan District (TWDIST) launched a series of initiatives to educate the public and enlist their support to fight deception.

Anti-crime seminars were offered to students and residents. A special seminar was also offered to the staff of banks and money changers so that they would help potential victims of phone scams.

Moreover, booths were set up in streets, where officers, District Councillors, District Fight Crime Committee (DFCC) and Senior Police Call (SPC) members delivered anti-crime messages to the public. Mobile patrol cars also broadcast the messages.

WDIST

Acting Western District Commander Ho Kai-kin, together with Chairman of Southern DFCC, Mr Leung Ho-kwan, Vice-chairman of Southern District Council, Mr Chan Fu-ming, community leaders and SPC members, took part in fight crime publicity events in the areas of South Horizons and Aberdeen Centre on August 8 and 14 respectively. During the events, crime prevention fliers and souvenirs were distributed to remind the public to stay vigilant against telephone scams.

MPDIST

Marine Port District (MPDIST) hosted a Fun Day on Lamma Island on August 2 in a bid to engage the locals and Non-ethnic Chinese (NEC) in prevention of phone scams.

During the event, residents visited the Lamma Police Post and police launches, enjoyed magic shows and watched officers demonstrate their flair for balloons twisting. The officers also offered talks on prevention of phone scams and the ways to thwart the crime.

The NEC community thanked MPDIST for giving them an opportunity to get a better understanding of police work. They also undertook to help with dissemination of anti-phone scam messages.