Read More
Hong Kong police have issued an urgent warning to motorists and members of the public following the detection of fraudulent websites impersonating the government’s official electronic traffic ticket platform.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Scammers behind the fake sites have been attempting to deceive drivers by falsely offering discounts for early fine settlements in order to harvest sensitive personal information and credit card numbers.
Law enforcement authorities emphasized that the government never provides discounts or concessions for settling traffic ticket fines under any circumstances, warning residents to exercise extreme caution when handling electronic fine notifications.
Deceptive tactics and official platform verification
The fraudulent scheme operates by tricking vehicle owners into believing they can pay reduced penalty fees through bogus payment portals. Authorities clarified that the legitimate eTraffic Ticket Platform is hosted exclusively on the government domain ending in gov.hk, accessible at www.etrafficticket.gov.hk.
Motorists who wish to verify the validity of any fixed penalty notice can access the genuine portal and enter their vehicle registration mark alongside the penalty notice number.
This enables drivers to inspect official records confirming the specific date, time, and location of the alleged traffic contravention before initiating payment.
Rigorous safeguards on official notifications
To protect the public from phishing attempts, police highlighted strict technical safeguards implemented across all electronic communication channels.
Genuine fixed penalty notices distributed through SMS text messages will originate solely from the registered sender identity displaying the prefix hash HKPF-eTT. Any text message received from an alternative sender name or unverified phone number is fraudulent.
More importantly, authorities underscored that authentic penalty notices delivered by SMS or email will never contain embedded hyperlinks.
Drivers are instructed never to click on hyperlinks included in unexpected messages, access unfamiliar web addresses, or disclose financial credentials online.
Hotlines and immediate steps for victims
Residents who suspect they have fallen victim to the scam or have unwittingly submitted personal records or credit card information to fraudulent websites are urged to immediately dial the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre hotline at 18222.
Inquiries regarding genuine traffic ticket services and platform operations can also be directed to the government inquiry hotline at 181 181.
