Fake staff ID used to run up credit card bill

A jobless woman used a newspaper's staff identity card and a false company letter to apply for eight credit cards.

Au Mei-ki, 21, withdrew more than $100,000 in cash and bought gold and jewellery with the cards, the District Court heard yesterday.

Her lawyer claimed Au gave away everything to friends.

Au pleaded guilty to eight charges of having used a false instrument on June 22 and July 8 last year.

Prosecutor Francis Burkett said Au told the banks she was an employee of the Hong Kong Standard and submitted a staff card bearing her picture and signature. But she later told police she found the card in the street and altered it before applying for two of the credit cards.

In applying for the other six, she submitted a copy of a letter purportedly written by the Standard to show her monthly salary was $9,400.