Hong Kong police arrest 3 people alleged to have swindled 12 people out of HK$710,000 worth of goods in bounced cheque scams
- Suspects posing as buyers expressed interest in items posted on shopping platforms, police say
- ‘Fraudsters deposited bad cheques into related accounts through automated teller machines to create impression that money had been transferred,’ they add
Three suspected Hong Kong fraudsters have been arrested after it was alleged they used bad cheques to cheat 12 people out of products worth HK$710,000 (US$91,000) in shopping scams over the past two months.
Police said on Tuesday one was detained during a face-to-face transaction with an alleged victim in Yau Ma Tei the previous day.
Officers later arrested the other two, said to be key members of a fraud syndicate, in a follow-up operation in the same district.
The two men and one woman, aged from 28 to 36, were detained on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud – an offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Police received reports from 12 people who claimed they had been cheated while selling goods through online shopping platforms between March 25 and May 23.
“The products included handbags, wallets and watches with a total amount of around HK$710,000,” the force said. “The most valuable item was a watch worth HK$185,000.”
