Impersonating Officials｜A 19-year-old posed as a mainland law enforcement officer, used random phone calls to accuse people of leaking state secrets, and frightened five women into paying 8.2 million yuan to prove their innocence

A 19-year-old man was arrested for fraud after impersonating an official. Police announced today (1st) that on 22nd of last month, they received a report from one of the victims, who said he received an unknown phone call. During the call, the caller claimed to be a mainland law enforcement officer, accused the victim of being involved in criminal activities in the mainland, demanded that he sign a confidentiality agreement, and sought a deposit. After investigation, police further uncovered that the man involved was also linked to four other “impersonating officials” fraud cases, with an amount involved of up to 8.2 million Hong Kong dollars.

▲ Police seized the alleged “work permit” involved in the case. (Police provided)

Fraudster impersonated a mainland special-duty officer, claiming they needed a deposit to prove innocence

Senior Inspector Fung Tat-yan of the Technology and Financial Crimes Bureau, North Regional Headquarters, New Territories, said that earlier they received a report from a 65-year-old woman, who said she received a phone call claiming that she was involved in criminal offenses in the mainland. The caller required her to submit a deposit to prove her innocence, and instructed her to go to a specific location to collect, from a “special agent investigator,” items such as the phone and further instructions. After that, she was instructed to hand over the money to a “special agent investigator.”

Through the “Sharp Eye Programme,” the police reviewed a large amount of CCTV footage and successfully identified a male suspect. On 29th of last month, they arrested a man in Kwun Tong on a charge of “obtaining property by deception.” Police also seized an “auxiliary police” work permit card at his residence. The card indicated that it was a “special project special duty” under the “Shanghai Municipal People’s Procuratorate,” and police also seized a computer and a photocopier believed to have been used to prepare the “confidentiality agreement.” Another unit also recovered a “special project document,” bearing the “Procuratorate” seal, stating that the victim committed offenses such as “leaking state secrets” and “passing information to the outside.”

▲ Police seized the so-called “documents” involved in the case. (Police provided)

Four female victims in the same case were unaware of being scammed and did not report it

After investigation, the police further revealed that four other female victims had also been scammed in the same way. All of them had retired, aged between 67 and 74. As they did not know they had been scammed, they did not report to the police. One of them even followed the fraudster to the mainland to withdraw cash and hand it over to the fraudster, while someone else also prepared to make another transfer. After the police intervened, about HK$630,000 in criminal proceeds was successfully intercepted. The arrested youth will be charged with one count of “conspiracy to defraud.” The case will be presented in court at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (2nd) morning.

Police reiterated that whether they are local or mainland law enforcement officers, they will never ask the public to sign confidentiality agreements, hand over cash, or make any transfers or remittance. Even if the fraudsters show up dressed properly and act professionally when meeting people, and display forged official documents or appointment certificates, members of the public should not believe them easily and should check and verify thoroughly.

Anti-fraud “Three Nos” Principle

• Do not answer suspicious phone calls

• Do not easily believe what the other party says

• Do not easily transfer money to strangers

If you have any doubts, call the police “Anti-Scam Hotline 18222” for enquiries.

Police emphasized that “obtaining property by deception” is a very serious offence. Once convicted, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 10 years. Members of the public must not commit the offense due to greed for a moment or be lured into breaking the law by people with ulterior motives.