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| Not true that the HK govt is giving free groceries to OFWs, says PCG |
The Philippine Consulate General has warned overseas Filipino workers to be wary of a post advising them to go to a shop in Sham Shui Po to avail of free groceries worth $5,000 supposedly from the Hong Kong government.
The post also said OFWs aged 65 and above can also
avail of free eye check-up and eyeglasses from an optical shop in Central.
“No such program (from the Hong Kong government)
exists,” said Vice Consul Gino Soriano, head of the assistance to nationals
section.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
Even if it were true that groceries were being given
away free to Filipino domestic workers, Soriano said they were definitely not
from the Hong Kong government.
He said the post that has been circulated within the
Filipino community has already been reported to the Aberdeen Police Station in
Western District for a possible investigation.
In its advisory titled “Warning Against Scam
Messages Offering Aid from Hong Kong Government” the PCG said such offer of
free deals and rewards may be attempts to lure possible victims into disclosing
and sharing their personal information which will then be used for such
criminal activities as money laundering.
“The Filipino community is advised to be vigilant
and discerning with random messages received online,” said the advisory.
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| Shared HKID cards and personal details may lead to one being dragged into a scam, says PCG |
Checks with some OFWs who admitted to dealing with
the two shops mentioned in the post revealed that no free groceries are
actually being offered, but products aimed at the elderly, which are charged against
the $2,000 medical vouchers given as a benefit by the HK government to any
resident aged 65 years old and above, including migrant domestic workers.
As many OFWs are not aware that they can use these
vouchers for medical, dental and eye check-ups with many clinics across Hong
Kong, including such reputable chains as Quality Health Care, they are made to
feel that they are getting a freebie when their Elderly Care Health vouchers
are being charged for everything that is given them.
The vouchers that may be used for all kinds of
medical and wellness services including physiotherapy, acupuncture and such, can
also be accumulated to up to $8,000 their value if not used fully or partially.
To use the vouchers, all that the entitled resident should
do is present his or her HKID card to any clinic that accepts them, and the
charges that they should be informed about is deducted from the outstanding
balance in their account.
For full information about the medical voucher
scheme, please click on this link: https://www.hcv.gov.hk/en/index.html
As for sharing their HKID card and other personal
details such as mobile phone number and address with an unknown group, the PCG’s
warning is also very timely, given the prevalence of scams in HK and the number
of OFWs who fall for them, particularly money laundering.
