District Fight Crime Committees and the Police held a bus parade today to remind people to watch out for telephone scams.
An open-top bus decorated with fight crime banners set off from Lam Tin this morning and made stops in Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan, Cheung Sha Wan and Causeway Bay.
Leaflets and souvenirs were distributed to remind people to be on guard against telephone scams, which have risen significantly this year.
Police said there were 2,371 telephone deception cases in the first seven months of the year, a 70% increase over the 1,395 cases recorded last year. Monetary losses amounted to $175.7 million.
Among them 1,038 cases involved swindlers pretending to be Mainland officials, with the majority – 838 cases – reported in July.
Police have set up a task force which is now collaborating with different parties to combat this kind of scam and will also continue to promote anti-crime messages through various channels.
Officers advised people to stay calm when receiving suspicious calls, and always be cautious whenever they are asked for their personal details, including bank account numbers and passwords.