The Judiciary Police (PJ) yesterday launched their annual week-long crime-prevention awareness campaign targeting young people, in collaboration with various local schools, in the run-up to the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday period, with the aim of enhancing schoolchildren’s ability to stay vigilant against different types of frauds and say no to drugs.
As in previous years, members from two PJ training programmes for university and secondary school students, namely “Community Safety Youth Leader Programme” and “Youth Crime Fighter Programme”, have taken part in the campaign to publicise crime prevention information to their peers in the community.
This time, representatives from 24 schools have joined the campaign, which started yesterday in Iao Hon district.
Speaking to reporters in Iao Hon Market Park yesterday, Cheong Kim Fong, a senior officer of the PJ Youth Concern Group, said that during the one-week campaign, officers from his concern group, along with representatives from the 24 schools and members of the two PJ training programmes, will visit areas around schools across the city as well as facilities and venues frequently frequented by young people, where they will distribute crime prevention leaflets and souvenirs, with a particular focus on educating young people about the latest tactics of telecom and online fraud criminals and the respective preventive measures.
Cheong noted that young people generally spend more time online during a long holiday compared to when they go to school, adding that the campaign teams will remind them to remain vigilant when using social media platforms, carefully protect their personal and financial information, refrain from easily trusting the identities claimed by netizens whom they have met online, and avoid easily agreeing to meet in person, with the aim of preventing financial loss or threats to their personal safety.
According to Cheong, the campaign teams will also urge young people not to panic when receiving unfamiliar calls or messages, and to avoid disclosing personal information or carrying out acts such as remittances, transfers, sharing smartphone screens, or clicking on attached links before verifying the other party’s identity and the authenticity of the situation through reliable channels, with the aim of avoiding falling victim to scams and incurring losses.
Cheong said that the campaign teams will also urge young people to inform their family members of their whereabouts when they are out and about to take part in celebratory activities, maintain regular contact with their family members, and take care of their belongings. While in entertainment venues, young people are advised to particularly remain vigilant and firmly refuse drinks, food, or cigarettes offered by strangers, so as to avoid unknowingly consuming drugs or other harmful substances.
Cheong Kim Fong (centre), a senior officer of the Judiciary Police’s (PJ) Youth Concern Group, briefs two schoolgirls about the modus operandi of four types of commonly reported frauds, outside Iao Hon Market Park yesterday. – Photo: Tony Wong
