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William Yiu

Hong Kong’s police chief has slammed the alleged involvement of a lawyer and doctors in a spate of so-called crash-for-cash scams as “unforgivable and unacceptable”.
Commissioner of Police Joe Chow Yat-ming said on Saturday that the force would speed up its investigation into such cases and expected a fresh wave of arrests.
He noted police previously arrested a couple and two doctors for their alleged roles in more than 20 crash-for-cash scams, adding that officers were investigating more than 100 other suspicious cases.
Authorities earlier said they had received reports of drivers facing sudden massive civil claims, months after police had closed the related traffic cases, with some involving minor or no collisions.
The claims typically covered legal fees, medical expenses, loss of income, vehicle repairs and other miscellaneous costs.
Chow noted officers had also raided the office of a lawyer in Mong Kok that had filed most of the claims linked to the couple.
“If professionals have such ethics, it’s a waste of their high levels of education. It is literally unforgivable and totally unacceptable,” he said. “Knowledgeable professionals should not do such immoral and unethical things.”
He said the investigation would look at the relationship between the law firm and the four suspects, as well as whether any professional misconduct had taken place.
Police said the couple, a man and woman both aged 37, worked respectively as a taxi driver and a nurse, while the doctors were aged 56 and 69.

The couple allegedly posed as drivers, private car or taxi passengers or pedestrians in minor traffic incidents, often reporting neck or minor injuries before filing civil claims against other motorists and insurers.
The force had linked the pair to 22 crash-for-cash cases over the past four to five years. Some of the claims were still being processed by authorities.
The largest single claim among the 22 cases was for more than HK$300,000 (US$38,000).
The couple were alleged to have submitted false documents, including fabricated vehicle repair invoices, proof of income and multiple medical certificates to secure long-term sick leave.
The two doctors were suspected of conspiring to provide fraudulent medical records to support the claims.
Chow said it was impossible to believe the couple could have sustained so many repeated injuries.
“The couple [arrested] would have to have such extraordinary skeletal structures having suffered more than 20 crashes in a few years, but none of them was serious,” he said.
“Every time they made claims, they said they got sprained. It is very problematic.”
The police chief said further arrests were expected and vowed to follow up on the case.


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Crime in Hong Kong

‘Unforgivable’: police chief slams lawyer, doctors linked to crash-for-cash scams

Police raid a lawyer’s office in connection with so-called crash-for-cash scams. Photo: Handout

Commissioner of Police Joe Chow has slammed professionals linked to the scams. Photo: Elson Li

Police arrest 4 in Hong Kong over ‘crash-for-cash’ scams

Some insurance claims involved a minor car bump or even no collision. Photo: Getty Images

Selina Lau and Superintendent Charles Fung speak to the media. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong police raid lawyer’s office in probe of ‘crash-for-cash’ scams

Officers from the commercial crime bureau searched the lawyer’s office in Mong Kok on Monday night, leaving with about 10 boxes of documents. Photo: Handout

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

‘Knowledgeable professionals should not do such immoral and unethical things,’ Commissioner of Police Joe Chow says


‘Knowledgeable professionals should not do such immoral and unethical things,’ Commissioner of Police Joe Chow says.


Traffic and road safety in Hong Kong

Scams and swindles

Crime

Joe Chow Yat-ming

‘Unforgivable’: police chief slams lawyer, doctors linked to crash-for-cash scams

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}‘Knowledgeable professionals should not do such immoral and unethical things,’ Commissioner of Police Joe Chow says

‘Knowledgeable professionals should not do such immoral and unethical things,’ Commissioner of Police Joe Chow says