Hong Kong police arrest 7 in crackdown on credit card theft, fraud syndicate

Hong Kong police have arrested seven men suspected of operating a highly organised crime syndicate to steal credit cards from people in crowded locations such as sports grounds and buying luxury items worth more than HK$4 million (US$513,800).\nSenior Inspector Tsui Wai-ying of the force’s regional technology and financial crime unit said on Sunday that the syndicate was responsible for a series of thefts and large-scale credit card fraud across multiple districts between September and December.\nShe said the group’s meticulously planned operation primarily involved dispatching members to crowded areas in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, such as sports grounds, cafes and restaurants, to steal credit cards.\n“They stole the credit cards from the victims’ wallets while they were unaware, and then put the wallets and other belongings back in place, making it difficult for the victim to immediately discover their credit cards were missing,” Tsui said.\nIntermediaries would then distribute the stolen cards to other members, who swiftly visited luxury clothing and handbag stores, as well as dried seafood shops, to make large-scale transactions.\n“Each transaction could be as high as hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars. They used the fastest speed to extract the credit card’s maximum limit,” Tsui said.\nThe force’s Hong Kong Island regional headquarters reviewed large amounts of CCTV footage to trace the sequence of criminal activities involving pickpockets, intermediaries and buyers, mapping out their movements and spending habits, which ultimately led to the suspects being arrested on Friday and Saturday.\nPolice have linked the suspects to 22 cases involving a total amount exceeding HK$4 million.\nThe seven men, aged 30 to 60, are currently being held on suspicion of theft and obtaining property by deception.\nIn Hong Kong, both theft and obtaining property by deception are serious offences that are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.\nThe force urged the public to properly safeguard their personal belongings, particularly while exercising, dining or walking in crowded places, by maintaining vigilance and ensuring wallets and handbags were kept within sight or in a secure location.\n“If a credit card is lost or stolen, residents should promptly report it to the issuing bank and set up transaction alerts, such as SMS notifications, to detect unusual activity,” Tsui said.\nShe also urged retail merchants handling large-sum transactions to verify the cardholder’s identity using documentation.\nIf customers appeared suspicious, such as acting nervously or using cards with differing names, merchants should immediately notify police, she added.\n