A Commercial Crimes Bureau (CCB) 'Focus Group' organised and ran the workshop for those who would be helping them to run a series of campaigns and activities to forewarn youngsters of the latest modus operandi of the fraudsters, especially in relation to summer employment scams.

All were given a training package that would facilitate their work.

Loco London Gold Focus Group leader, Chief Inspector Chan Man-yin, said, "Loco London Gold Fraud emerged as a problem around 1996 and the large number of gullible job seekers produced by the post-1997 economic downturn fuelled this type of highly syndicated and sophisticated recruitment-related crime. The apex was in 1999 when 62 new scams were identified involving 710 victims with losses amounting to HK$159 million."

However, the good news is that since then there has been real progress made each year. For example, this year there was an 82 per cent drop in the number of victims and about a 60 per cent drop in the associated losses, compared to the same period in 2001. This year's campaign was expected to gain further ground in the unceasing fight against crime.

CCB Fraud Divisions have set up other focus groups to capture and develop expertise for different types of fraud, including modeling fraud, pyramid-selling related fraud and bankruptcy fraud.