Two Arrested Over Fake Ticket Online Shopping Scams
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong police have arrested two suspects in connection with five alleged online shopping scams involving tickets for concerts, theme parks and football matches. The pair, a 29-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman, were arrested on August 10 on suspicion of obtaining property by deception after an investigation triggered by a report received on August 8. Police said five victims lost a total of about HK$17,000, and officers have not ruled out the possibility that more victims have yet to come forward. Investigators said the suspects allegedly used online trading and social media platforms to lure buyers with below-market prices, limited availability and urgent sales claims.
Key Points
- Police said they had noticed a rising trend in online shopping fraud since March, particularly scams involving high-demand event and attraction tickets
- The suspects allegedly posted ticket offers online, then moved conversations to instant messaging apps to discuss payment and delivery details.
- Victims were allegedly told to pay through e-wallets, bank transfers into mule accounts, or cash handovers before receiving invalid tickets.
- In some cases, buyers received QR codes or e-tickets that were unusable or did not match what was advertised, including adult tickets replaced by elderly tickets
- Officers arrested the pair in Tin Shui Wai and Kwai Chung, seized multiple mobile phones and SIM cards, and found chats with potential victims
Why It Matters
The case underlines the risks facing Hong Kong consumers when scarce or popular tickets are traded outside official channels, especially when sellers push quick payment with discount claims. Police are urging anyone who paid for tickets online and received invalid, used or mismatched QR codes or e-tickets to contact officers as the investigation continues.