A local man was arrested for defrauding his female friend and sending her a photo of a modified ID card, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chan Wun Man said at a regular press conference yesterday.
Chan said that the suspect is a 35-year-old man surnamed Hong who told the police he’s jobless. The local victim is in her forties.
According to Chan, in December 2021 the victim got to know Hong when she was travelling and they quickly became friends. Hong claimed that he owned multiple properties in Macau and several million patacas deposited in an account in casino junket. He also showed her a photo of a modified ID card, with an earlier date of birth, in order to appear to be more “mature”.
Chan said that later that month Hong asked to borrow a total of HK$700,000 from her, claiming that he would transfer the ownership of a flat in Areia Preta district to her as a guarantee. The victim trusted Hong completely and simply lent the money to Hong without a guarantee.
Chan added that the victim lent Hong a total of HK$740,000 over the next few months.
Hong did not pay up on the agreed repayment day, instead kept coming up with excuses and claimed in March that he was in “quarantine lockdown in Fujian” and thus could not come to Macau and pay the debt. Chan noted that the victim later discovered Hong was actually in Macau and reported the case to the police.
Hong was arrested at the Barrier Gate checkpoint when he was about to leave Macau on Monday. Hong admitted scamming the victim, claiming that he used the money for his business and to repay gambling debts. Chan added that Hong’s casino junket deposit account and his properties are all bogus.
Hong was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on Tuesday, facing charges of document forgery and fraud, Chan said.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chan Wun Man looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference.
– Photo: William Chan
