Crime Kowloon East (CRM KE), in a bid to find more ways to combat phone scams, has been working with Ms Jessica CM Li, Prof of Criminal Psychology of City University of Hong Kong, who was conducting a research on the causes of deception since August last year. Prof Li's valuable advice from the psychological angle has been of great help to police for combatting scams.

 

Prof Li's analysis on the psychological state of victims and fraudsters shows that elders and youngsters are vulnerable to scams due to their kindness and inexperience.  For Prof Li, prevention is the most effective way to combat deception through publicity and education, such as videos on the deception modus operandi shown in the media. Other sectors of the community should be mobilised to help police fight crimes and their awareness of crime prevention should be heightened.

 

During Winter Precaution period, Prof Li led over 10 students studying criminal psychology at City University in participating in a CRM KE publicity campaign, codenamed "City Webber", on combatting deception. During the campaign, KE Regional Crime Prevention Office organised a series of anti-deception activities in various areas and screened anti-deception short films to make elders and youngsters more wary of scam prevention.

 

CRM KE Senior Superintendent Eugene Yue and Prof Li officiated at the opening ceremony with "KINGSON", the Police Magazine Mascot, pitching in for publicity.  After the ceremony, CRM KE officers and volunteers from City University of Hong Kong visited more than 60 locations in KE Region to publicise anti-crime activities including elderly centres, shopping malls, eateries and parks.

 

Prof Li was happy with the co-operation and  hoped the publicity campaign would attract different sectors of the society to join in crime prevention.