Online vendors on mainland Chinese shopping platforms are selling counterfeit safety inspection reports for scaffold nets for as little as 300 yuan (HK$338), with some acknowledging increased inquiries from Hong Kong following the fatal Wang Fuk Court fire, an investigation by The Standard's sister publication Sing Tao Daily has found.
Reporters posing as construction industry buyers found hundreds of suspicious sellers offering various fake reports under searches for "CMA" (China Inspection Body and Laboratory Mandatory Approval). Vendors quoted prices ranging from 300 to 800 yuan for fabricated scaffold net compliance reports without requiring samples.
One vendor noted that genuine laboratory testing would cost around 6,000 yuan, while their "directly issued" reports were cheaper and faster. When asked about Hong Kong buyers, the seller said: "After the major fire incident in Hong Kong recently, there have indeed been many inquiries."
Another testing company provided report samples bearing the logo and official seal of the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment. The seller admitted the reports were "directly issued, to be blunt, they are fake," and that "many clients use them to cope with inspections, go through procedures, for tenders, etc."
Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union chairman Chow Sze-kit said he had heard of platforms selling fake reports, certificates and IDs. Following meetings between industry representatives and government departments, he suggested mandatory testing by government-approved laboratories and subsequent certification to prevent fraud.
The Buildings Department aims to announce new rules this week requiring on-site sampling and verification of scaffold nets before installation.
