Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Lei Chi Hou said during a regular press conference yesterday that six local companies have been deceived into ordering bed frames and mattresses for a purported local school, losing a total of 730,000 patacas.
The six companies comprise two advertising firms, an impresario, a decoration company, a design company, and a business system company.
According to Lei, last week the police were notified by representatives of these companies that they had been swindled by an individual posing as a teacher from a local school. The “teacher” initially contacted the companies for various services and asked for quotations. Later, the “teacher” claimed that they did not need the services but were planning to buy bed frames and mattresses to be donated to a nursing home and a school. The impostor also alleged that the “school” was having an argument with its Hong Kong supplier and requested each company’s assistance to place orders.
Upon paying a deposit to the “bed frame supplier” following the instructions of the “teacher,” the companies discovered that the screenshots of the transactions provided by the “teacher” had been fabricated, and then quickly lost contact with the scammer. Subsequently, they contacted the police, losing between HK$10,000 to HK$310,000 each.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Lei Chi Hou looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference. – Photo: William Chan
