Two arrested over fake ticket online shopping scams
SingTao · 4 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong police arrested two local suspects on August 10 on suspicion of obtaining property by deception after investigating an online shopping fraud report made on August 8. Investigators later linked the pair to five cases involving invalid or mismatched electronic tickets for concerts, theme parks and football matches, with total losses of about HK$16,000 suffered by five victims.
Key Points
- Police said they had noticed a rise in online shopping scams since March, especially posts on trading and social platforms offering popular event tickets.
- The suspects allegedly used claims such as below-market prices, limited quantities and urgent sales to lure buyers before moving discussions to instant messaging apps.
- After payment by e-wallet, bank transfer to mule accounts or cash handover, victims received invalid QR codes, wrong ticket types, or no tickets at all.
- In one example cited by investigators, a buyer was sold what was described as an adult theme park ticket but received an elderly ticket instead.
- Police seized several mobile phones and multiple SIM cards, and said message records with potential victims suggest additional unreported cases may exist.
Why It Matters
The case points to continuing risks for Hong Kong consumers buying high-demand tickets through unofficial online channels, particularly when sellers insist on advance payment or private messaging. Police have urged anyone who received invalid or mismatched QR codes or e-tickets after paying for event tickets online to contact investigators as the case remains under investigation.