Two men were arrested for allegedly being involved in at least five phone scam cases in late August, defrauding approximately HK$600,000.
The two suspects, aged 26 and 38, were arrested on Friday (Aug 28) on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and possession of dangerous drugs.
Police said on Sunday that they seized a modem pool device that can hold multiple SIM cards, three mobile phones, two computers, and 53 SIM cards in a hotel room. Officers also seized five packs of suspected methamphetamine totaling one gram, and a drug-inhaling apparatus.
The suspects purchased SIM cards registered under other people’s names from different sources, then used the SIMs to contact victims. They claimed to be from insurance companies or payment platforms.
Victims were told that they had subscribed for insurance services, but had missed a payment. They were warned that if they did not cancel the service, funds would be deducted from their accounts.
Police also believed the group sent messages to some citizens claiming that packages failed to be delivered, impersonating online shopping platforms or delivery companies.
When victims called the hotlines provided by the scammers, they were instructed to transfer money to different designated bank accounts, using various reasons. After the transactions were completed, victims lost contact with the scammers.
The force said the largest single loss amounted to HK$380,000, and the victim was a retiree.
Following intelligence analysis and a review of CCTV footage, the Commercial Crime Bureau identified the two men, who allegedly rented the hotel room to serve as a control center for phone scams.
