A physiotherapy clinic employee said a caller claiming to be a fire captain booked six appointments for purportedly injured firefighters, then asked the clinic to advance payment for 20 electric wheelchairs. The employee described the call in a social-media post.
The employee said an online search found that the suggested supplier’s name had previously been used in fraud, so no money was transferred. None of the six purported patients attended. The reserved slots meant other patients who needed care could not be seen as planned.
The Hong Kong Fire Services Department said on October 21 that it never asks businesses or individuals to advance money to buy goods from a third-party supplier. It advised anyone receiving a similar call not to transfer money or make purchases, and to report suspected scams to police.