Cross-border credit card fraud ring busted, 16 arrested in Hong Kong
Hong Kong police dismantled a cross-border credit card fraud syndicate in an operation from August to October, arresting 16 people. The group is linked to at least 60 cases involving over HK$1.8 million in losses, with victims targeted after visiting Shenzhen. Mainland police also arrested 17 suspec
Hong Kong police have dismantled a cross-border credit card fraud syndicate in an operation from August to October, arresting 11 men and five women aged 17 to 45. Mainland Chinese police also arrested 11 men and six women aged 36 to 56, including the alleged mastermind. The syndicate is linked to at least 60 cases of credit card fraud involving total losses exceeding HK$1.8 million, with individual victims losing up to HK$110,000.
Police said that in April, they received multiple reports from citizens whose credit cards had been stolen. Fraudsters then impersonated the cardholders to purchase high-end mobile phones in Hong Kong. Investigations revealed that all victims had visited popular tourist spots in Shenzhen before the incidents but had not immediately checked their belongings. They only discovered the theft after banks notified them of abnormal large transactions. Police reviewed extensive CCTV footage, contacted various banks, and exchanged intelligence with Shenzhen Public Security Bureau to identify the syndicate.
Police described the syndicate as highly organised, operating with a three-tier structure. The top tier consisted of the mastermind, who recruited card carriers and arranged meeting points at guesthouses near Shenzhen border checkpoints to facilitate the transfer of stolen cards. The second tier included supervisors responsible for collecting stolen cards from pickpockets and monitoring card carriers’ shopping and resale activities in Hong Kong. The third tier comprised local and mainland card carriers who brought the cards to Hong Kong to purchase expensive mobile phones, resold them for cash, and then returned the proceeds to Shenzhen. The card carriers were instructed to sell the phones at a designated second-hand phone shop.
During the operation, police arrested 16 individuals on charges including handling stolen goods, conspiracy to defraud, and obtaining property by deception. Police stated that the syndicate believed that by having card carriers return to Shenzhen on the same day after purchases, they would be difficult to trace. However, they emphasised that this was a mistaken belief, as Hong Kong police maintain close communication with Shenzhen authorities and regularly exchange intelligence. Police reiterated their determination and capability to bring criminals to justice.
Police also reminded the public to safeguard their belongings and, upon receiving any suspicious transaction notifications, to immediately contact their card-issuing bank to report the loss and notify the transaction platform’s customer service to stop the transaction and cancel the authorisation.