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Officers of Police Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB) arrested one man and four women, aged between 19 and 47, in connection with a payment card fraud reported on January 17, 2006.
Enquiries revealed that the arrested persons acted as promotion staff of a coupon company. They alleged that the company could sell coupons of some chain stores at a discount to its members.
Victims enticed to join the membership were required to pay a fee of $20 by payment card through a standalone terminal at their booths on the street. The input of their personal identification numbers (PIN) was said to be necessary for the transaction.
Feeling suspicious, the victims checked with the payment card company and confirmed that the transactions were faked. A report was made to the CCB on January 17.
Officers of the CCB immediately mounted an operation yesterday (January 18) and arrested a 25-year-old man and three women, aged between 41 and 47, on the street in Pai Tau Tsuen, Sha Tin.
Another 19-year-old woman also suspected to be involved in the fraud was arrested in a residential unit in Tseung Kwan O this (January 19) afternoon.
It is believed that the payment card information with the PIN number will be used to produce forged cards.
A subsequent search to the office of the arrested man in Kwun Tong led to the discovery of some equipments for manufacturing forged cards, including handheld skimmers, personal computers, encoders, leaflets and 168 completed application forms.
The five persons were arrested for conspiracy to defraud and the 25-year-old man was further arrested for possessing equipment for making a false instrument. They are still being detained by the CCB for enquiries.
Police appeal to members of the public who may have fallen prey to fraudsters by similar modus operandi to contact the investigating officers on 2860 8927 or CCB hotline 2860 5012.
Add Police Report No.7
Ends/Thursday, January 19, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:44
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