Organ donor withdrawals seemingly done 'for fun'

Four men - including a 19-year-old student - arrested in connection to the organ donation registry saga could have committed the alleged criminal acts "for fun," police said.

The four, aged between 19 and 47, were held for accessing a computer with criminal or dishonest intent, allegedly stealing other people's information to register and withdraw from the organ donation registry.

Police alleged the four stole information from government officials, lawmakers and celebrities, as well as deceased persons.

"We think the suspects were using personal information that was published online, such as names and HKID numbers, to register and withdraw from the organ donation registry," said cyber security and technology crime bureau superintendent Wilson Tam Wai-shun.

They were yesterday arrested in Kennedy Town, Mong Kok and Kwai Chung.

A 47-year-old self-employed man and a 45-year-old electronics craftsman are brothers, surnamed Fok.

Officers also arrested a student surnamed Wong and a 22-year-old interior design assistant surnamed Leung.

Other than the brothers, the suspects do not seem to know each other.

Initial investigation revealed no motivation leading to the dishonest activities. Tam said the four might have done so "for fun."

Officers also seized five mobile phones, three tablets and some laptops.

"These actions could prevent the needy from getting organs, as well as increase the workload of the Department of Health," Tam said.

Tam said citizens have the right to opt out of the registry when they wish.

Any person who obtains access to a computer with intent to commit an offense, with a dishonest intent to deceive, with intent for dishonest gain or with a dishonest intent to cause loss to another are liable on conviction to imprisonment of up to five years.

On May 22, the Health Bureau said an "abnormally high" 5,785 withdrawals from the organ donation registry were recorded from January to May this year. The bureau said it noticed some unusual patterns in the opt-out of donors, with over half of them having never registered to become donors and many others attempting to opt out more than once.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung vowed that authorities would investigate the case and take enforcement action.

Tang said the police may make arrests under access to computers with criminal or dishonest intent or even offenses under the national security law.

Last week, legislator Elizabeth Quat Pei-fan suspected that her information had been illegally used to register for organ donations.

After receiving a call from the Department of Health confirming her registration, Quat filed a complaint to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and reported the case to the police.