Five held over fake police luxury watch scam
HK01 · 5 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong police say they have broken up an allegedly organised cross-border fraud ring that targeted inexperienced overseas Chinese students by impersonating mainland law enforcement officers. In the latest case, a student studying in Singapore was allegedly lured to Hong Kong, made to buy four luxury watches worth about HK$1.34 million, and then told to hand them over as proof of his “innocence”.
Key Points
- Yau Tsim police said the victim reported the case on October 9 after being told by a caller posing as mainland public security that he was tied to a money-laundering case.
- The victim, described as a Chinese ID holder studying overseas and reportedly in Singapore, came to Hong Kong in early October and was taken to several watch shops.
- Police said the suspects had clear roles, including directing meetings, driving the victim between shops, and arranging resale of the new watches at about 10% below original price.
- Officers arrested four local men and one local woman, aged 27 to 40 or 28 to 40 according to different reports, on October 12 across several districts.
- Police recovered two watches from a watch shop in Wan Chai or another involved shop, and seized receipts, six mobile phones and clothing believed worn during the offence.
Why It Matters
The case points to a local resale channel that police say helped alleged fraudsters quickly turn high-value goods into cash through watch dealers, raising risks for Hong Kong traders handling goods of unclear origin. The five suspects have been charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud and are due to appear at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on October 15, while police say more arrests remain possible.