Commercial Crime Bureau officers raided a hotel room on 28 August and arrested two men, aged 26 and 38, whom police described as being linked to a centre used to control telephone scams. The alleged operation and the men’s suspected involvement remain under investigation. Police announced the arrests on 30 August.
Police said the pair were suspected of being connected to at least five telephone scam cases in late August, involving nearly HK$600,000 in losses. The largest reported loss was HK$380,000, suffered by a retired person.
In one alleged approach, callers told victims they had activated an insurance service and owed money, then asked them either to pay or cancel the service. Police said victims were directed to enter a mule bank account and a number described as a verification code during a bank transfer, allowing money to be moved out of their accounts.
Police also said the suspected group sent large numbers of text messages posing as customer-service staff from payment platforms, online shopping sites or courier companies. Using claims such as failed parcel deliveries, the messages allegedly persuaded recipients to call fake customer-service hotlines and transfer money.
Officers found a “cat pool” device capable of holding multiple SIM cards in the hotel room, along with three mobile phones, two computers and 53 SIM cards, according to police. The two men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and offences involving dangerous drugs; they were reportedly still being detained for investigation when the case was reported.
Police urged people who receive unsolicited calls asking for money, bank-account details or passwords to verify the requests through official channels. They also warned the public not to sell or lend out mobile-phone SIM cards registered in their own names.