Police smashed telephone deception syndicate
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Police have neutralised a cross border deception syndicate and arrested four men in suspected connection with a series of telephone deception cases in which victims have been approached by swindlers claiming to be their relatives or friends recently.
 
On January 7 this year, a 48-year-old man received several phone calls from a man who claimed to be his close friend and requested for money urgently. The victim subsequently deposited a total of $120,000 into five bank accounts provided by the man. The case was then reported to Police.

Following extensive investigations, officers of the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau arrested a 27-year-old suspect after he had withdrawn $20,000 from an automatic teller machine in Tsim Sha Tsui yesterday (January 8)

Another 33-year-old man was intercepted at Lok Ma Chau Border Control Point when he intended to leave for the Mainland on the same day. Two more suspects, aged 36 and 48, were arrested respectively in Ngau Tau Kok and Tsz Wan Shan today (January 9).

A search of the men found a number of mobile phone SIM cards and ATM cards belonging to other persons in their possession.

Police investigations showed that they are suspected to be connected with over 100 telephone deception cases with similar modus operandi over the past 14 months, involving a loss of over $2 million. 

The four men, arrested for allegedly obtaining property by deception, will be detained overnight for further enquiries.

Police appealed to anyone who has fallen prey to similar deception cases recently but has not made a report to call the police hotlines 2527 7887 or 2860 2888.
Police Report No.9
Issued by PPRB
Ends/ Wednesday, January 9, 2008
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