Kabayan naglunsad ng bilis- kidlat na data sa mababang halaga

 

Inihahatid ng Kabayan ang bilis-kidlat na data na abot kaya natin, sa pamamagitan ng mga mobile plan na ibinagay sa pangangailangan ng mga OFW.

Mas madali na ngayon ang talastasan sa ating pamilya at mga kaibigan, hindi lang sa mga nasa Pilipinas kundi kahit saan mang dako ng mundo – sa pamamagitan ng tawag o live video, kahit anong oras o araw.

May mga indinisenyo kaming mga special promo upang matamasa ang ganda sa paggamit ng high-speed data sa mababang halaga.

 

1. Mamili sa aming mga serbisyong bilis-kidlat na abot kaya

Kung ikaw ay mag video call sa mga mahal sa buhay, nagbabahagi ng balita sa social media o nakikinig sa iyong paboritong musika, may bilis-kidlat na koneksiyon ang Kabayan sa halagang $108 lamang

 

Option 1 – 5G Service

Unli ang local data: Ang unang 30GB ay sa bilis ng 5G, pagkatapos ay 2Mbps.

500MB na Shared Roaming Data, kaya hindi na kailangang magdagdag-bayad upang manatiling online kapag ikaw ay mapunta sa Mainland China at Macau.

PLUS:

·       300 Minutong lokal na tawag upang laging naka-konekta sa mga kaibigan at employer.

·       10 Minutong International Direct Dial upang makatawag sa iyong pamilya  nang walang takot sa gastos.

 

Option 2 – 4.5G Plan

Unli Local Data: Unang 50GB sa hanggang 100Mbps, pagkatapos ay 60Mbps

PLUS:

·       1,000 Minutong lokal na tawag upang makapag-telebabad nang walang tigil sa mga kaibigan at pamilya

·       500MB na Shared Roaming Data, kaya hindi na kailangang magdagdag-bayad upang manatiling online kapag ikaw ay nasa Mainland China at Macau.

 

Plus, ang aming Flash Offer: Kapag ikaw ay gumamit ng Kabayan high-speed, pwede kang pumili ng isang libreng gamit na panlabas (water bottle o tent), na nagkakahalaga ng $200!

 

2. Ilipat ang iyong kasalukuyang numero sa Kabayan at magkaroon ng Bonus na $188

Lumipat lang sa Kabayan sa halagang $38 at ito ang mapapa sa iyo:

·       $38 Stored Value: Pwede mong gamitin kahit paano

·       Libreng $88 Unlimited Data Package: Para sa unang buwan upang tulungan kang magsimula

·       Buwanang Bonus: Tatanggap ka ng $20 bonus buwan-buwan mula sa ikalawa hanggang ika-anim na buwan (na ang kabuuan ay $100)

 

3. Tatanggap ka pa rin ng Bonus sa bawa’t reload

May 10% extra load ka sa bawat reload! Pwede kang mag-reload kahit kailan at kahit saan, dahil pwedeng gamiting pambayad sa Kabayan ang Alipay, WeChat Pay, Octopus, PayMe, credit card, at voucher! Dahil available ito 24/7, makasisigurong ikaw ay laging konektado, lalo na sa oras na kailangang kailangan.

 

4. Nakalulugod na premyo para sa iyo

Kapag nag-shopping sa Kabayan Store mula December 15, 2024 hanggang January 5, 2025, may tsansa kang manalo ng mga premyo na gaya ng mobile phone, bagong $108 4.5G card, and 10,000mAh power bank. Ito ay magandang panimula sa Bagong Taon!

Sumali sa Pamilyang Kabayan ngayon at mag-enjoy ng walang paltos na kuneksyon sa iyong mga mahal sa buhay, kahit saan sila naroon – sa mas mababang halaga!

 

Shop Adress: 

Shop 355 on 3rd Floor World Wide House (World-wide Plaza) No.19 Des Voeux Road Central Hong Kong

Hotline: 22117799.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cmhkkabayan  

10th support centre for ethnic minorities opens in Shatin

 

Special guests led by Secretary Mak are welcomed to IDEA Centre

A new support service centre for ethnic minorities officially opened on Thursday in Shatin

Officiating at the opening of the IDEA Centre was Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak, who said that the government strives to support and empower ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.

IDEA Centre is the tenth support centre for EMs funded by the government. Earlier this month, the DREAM Centre opened in Kowloon City, becoming the ninth such facility to officially start operating.

They were the two new support centres announced by Chief Executive John Lee in his Policy Address last year, as part of the government’s intensified effort to integrate non-locals into Hong Kong society.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

In this year’s Policy Address, the Chief Executive said the government will invite one more support service centre to provide interpretation and translation services to ethnic minorities, to help alleviate the inconvenience they face in overcoming language barriers.

Currently, this service is already provided by the existing Centre for Harmony and Enhancement of Ethnic Minority Residents (CHEER Centre) in Kwun Tong.

The 11^th centre is slated to start operating next year.

PINDUTIN DITO

Other guests at the opening of the IDEA Centre included the Permanent Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Shirley Lam, Under Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs  Clarence Leung; Director of Home Affairs  Alice Cheung;   President of Hong Kong Community Network (HKCN), Suen Kwok-lam; and the Chief Executive of HKCN, Fan Kwok-fai.

 The 10 centres providing support for EMs are located in Wan Chai, Kwun Tong, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Yau Tsim Mong, Sham Shui Po, Tung Chung, Kwai Tsing, Kowloon City and Sha Tin.

IDEA Centre, operated by HKCN, is located at Shop 1 & 2, G/F, Belair Gardens Shopping Arcade, 52 Tai Chung Kiu Road, Sha Tin. T

Young kids took part in the lion dance at the opening for good luck

The centre provides a wide range of support services for EMs, including language and interest classes, integration lessons, as well as counselling and referral services.

It will also assist ethnic minorities in accessing public services, including the provision of workstations for accessing the Internet and distribution of multilingual service guidebooks and leaflets on services provided by the Government and non-profit-making organisations.

Basahin ang detalye!

The new centre is open every day except public holidays, from 9am to 9pm. For additional information about its services, call IDEA Centre’s hotline at 3101 5959.

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Drug rehab, 4 months’ jail for 2 shoplifters

 

The store where shoplifters operated (Google Maps photo)

A Filipino couple who earlier confessed to shoplifting chocolates five times, were given contrasting penalties at the Eastern Court today.

Zachary Eagle, 28 years old and a permanent resident, was sent to the Drug Addiction Treatment Center with a record of conviction, while Loida Figueroa, 49, who uses a recognizance form as identification document, was jailed for four months.

Principal Magistrate Don So handed down the sentence after hearing a drug possession case against Eagle, together with the theft case against him and Figueroa, who was sentenced to four months for each of the four thefts she confessed to, which will run concurrently.

Basahin ang detalye!

The drug possession case arose after Eagle was arrested inside the accessible toilet of the Fortress Hill MTR station on King’s Road, North Point, last Sept. 22. Found on him was a plastic bag containing a 0.72 gram ketamine tablet.

The first theft charge, on the other hand, was related to Figueroa's act of stealing three boxes of Ferrero Rocher chocolates, each containing 36 pieces , from the Wellcome supermarket at the basement of Metropole Bldg., on King’s Road, North Point, last Nov. 8. She was with a female, Virginia Nasayao, who was not charged.

The second theft charge involved Eagle and Figueroa stealing five boxes of the same brand of chocolates – three containing 36 pieces and and two containing 24 -- from the same store on Nov. 10.

On the same day, the two returned to the store and stole four boxes of of the same chocolates (36 pieces).

Eagle returned to the same store on Nov. 25, and stole another four 36-piece boxes of Ferrero Rocher chocolates.

The fifth charge involved Figueroa stealing two boxes of Ferrero Rocher chocolates (36 pieces).

The prosecutor said Eagle has had three previous similar criminal convictions while Figueroa has nine.

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Immigration vows to speed up removal of failed asylum seekers

 

11 women were among those sent back to Vietnam

The Immigration Department has reiterated its commitment to promptly remove all foreigners who fail to substantiate their bid for non-refoulement,  as they repatriated a total of 18 Vietnamese illegal immigrants and overstayers on Tuesday, Dec.18.

The persons removed comprised seven men and 11 women, all of whom had failed in their bid to prove they had valid grounds to oppose refoulement, or of  being sent back home.

Among them were discharged prisoners who had committed criminal offences and had been imprisoned.

Basahin ang detalye!

In a statement announcing the repatriation, Immigration said it remained committed to promptly remove all unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants from Hong Kong “to maintain effective immigration control and safeguard the public interest.”

The Department reminded the public that under the updated removal policy which took effect on Dec 27, 2022, it has been generally granted power to proceed with the removal of a claimant whose judicial review case has been dismissed by the Court of First Instance.

Immigration said it intends to speed up the removal of illegal immigrants and overstayers from Hong Kong “as soon as practicable according to the actual situation through appropriate measures as necessary.”

PRESS FOR DETAILS

 

$6,000 SUPERMARKET COUPONS PA-RAFFLE MULI NG SMARTONE!

 

Nagbabalik ngayong Pasko at Bagong Taon ang Spoints Lucky Draw ng Barkadahan.

Madali lang sumali! Dapat ikaw muna ay isang Barkadahan sa SmarTone user at may My SIM Account SIM app. Sa app, may rewards o mga points mula sa SmarTone. Kapag may 20 Spoints ka, pwede kang maka redeem ng 1 raffle E-TICKET na may $5 e-Top Up coupons.

Hanapin lang ang photo ng Xmas at New Year Lucky Draw sa Spoints at i-press ito. Hanggang 5 entries pwede mo i-redeem para mas malaki chance manalo.

Ang Grand Prize ay $3,000. 2nd Prize ay $2,000 at 3rd Prize ay $1,000.

Pag nabunot ka, dadalhin ka ng SmarTone sa YATA Supermarket at mamimili ka na. Grocery Mo, Sagot Ng SmarTone!

Paano ba magka-Spoints? Sa Barkadahan sa SmarTone, kada $1 spending mo, may katumbas na 1 SPoint. Ang mga SPoint ay may katumbas naman na regalo. Para maka-redeem nito, dapat mong malaman muna ilan ang Spoints mo. Heto lang yan.

 

(1)         Open “My SIM Account”, tap “SPoints”, “SmarTone Point”, "Redeem Ng Regalo" at i-select 2024 Xmas & New Year Lucky Draw. I-press “Buy”, i-press ang “+” hanggang 5 beses para mas madami chance manalo.

 

(2)         I-press Next, Tick Box at Confirm Purchase.

(3)         Lalabas ang “Thank you for your purchase.” Hintayin mo na lang na kontakin ka ng SmarTone kung ikaw ang panalo.

 

Ang last day para mag redeem ng e-ticket ay sa Jan 19, 2025. Ang bola naman ay sa Jan 22, 2025.

Kung wala ka pang “My SIM Account” App, i-press mo lang https://wap.smartone.com/bssapp/ gamit iyong Barkadahan sa SmarTone na SIM. Para naman malaman mga latest promos o offers, i-press https://www.smartone.com/hk/BSS/OnlineNews/AL Para naman sa iba pang serbisyo ng SmarTone, i-press  \https://www.smartone.com/hk/BSS/OnlineNews

Mas bongga talaga sa Barkadahan, pramis!

Kung may tanong, pwede kayong mag Whatsapp Hotline, press https://www.smartone.com/hk/BSSWhatsAppCS Kaya kung hindi ka pa Barkadahan, mag Barkadahan na, now na!

Barkadahan sa SmarTone 
For the OFW, with the OFW! 

 

Filipina fails in bid to overturn drug trafficking conviction

 

High Court, where the Court of Appeal hearing was held

The Court of Appeal today rejected an appeal against the conviction of a Filipina and a Nigerian, who had been sentenced to 25 and 26 years in prison for receiving a parcel that contained 2,971 grams of Ice and 418 grams of ketamine.

“I am not here to retry the case,” Justice of Appeal Kevin Zervos told former domestic helper Alma Montano and her co-appelant Nwokeji Ifeanyi Canis, who were convicted unanimously on June 30, 2023 by a jury before Deputy High Court Judge D Yau. “I didn’t hear the evidence like the jury did.”

In his decision issued after a break in the hearing, however, Justice Zervos discussed the facts presented to the court.

Basahin ang detalye!

He noted, for example, that the case revolved around whether the two had known about the drugs inside the parcel that had been intercepted by Customs officers in a delivery company’s logistics center.

Posing as delivery men, they arrested Montano after she received the parcel at her former employer’s address. Nwokeji, an asylum seeker, was arrested after he received the parcel from Montano, who by then was cooperating with the officers in a controlled delivery.

Justice Zervos said: “At trial, the sole issue in respect of both counts was whether the 1^st and 2^nd applicants had knowledge of the dangerous drug in the parcel…. The prosecution’s case was that, based on all circumstantial evidence, the irresistible inference was that both of them knew of the drugs in the parcel.”

A Whatsapp chat between the two, which was found in both their mobile phones, suggests that “they were more than casual acquaintances, the delivery of the parcel was well-planned and the shipment was referred to as ‘our shipment,’” he said.

He rejected their grounds of appeal, such as Montano’s complaint that it took two days for the jury to deliberate on her guilt, which he said was not unusual in the judicial process.

She claimed she was a victim of a drug operation involving “a football gang”, citing two letters from Father John Wotherspoon who said cases against a number of women from Indonesia and the Philippines had been dismissed because they were used by a group of Nigerian men to traffic in dangerous drugs. 

But Justice Zervos noted that the letters did not give enough information about these cases, such as their case numbers.

He also rejected Nwokeji’s claim that the parcel was not addressed to him, and did not have his fingerprints or DNA. The judge said it was never the prosecution's case that the second appellant had directly received the parcel containing the drugs.

What was not in dispute, according to the judge, was that Nwokeji (i) took possession of the parcel containing the drugs with a street value of $1.8 million on a public street from the 1^st applicant; (ii) the drug traffickers would not have entrusted such a valuable quantity of drugs to a stranger for delivery; (iii) the 2^nd applicant was apprehended holding an unlocked telephone that contained drug importation and trafficking messages with 1k imo (the intended recipient) when he picked up the parcel; (iv) the 1^st applicant identified the 2^nd applicant as Baby Loves, who instructed her to receive the parcel containing the drugs; (v) the 2^nd applicant’s call records and messages corresponded with those on the 1^st applicant’s mobile telephone and related events."

Judge Zervos said the applicants are entitled by law to renew their appeal, but they should be reminded that should they lose their bid for the second time, the Court may issue a direction for any loss of time spent in custody pending their appeals.

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Beware of phishing scams on Carousell

 

Carousell joins hands with police in warning against online shopping scams

Police have warned people who use the popular trading platform Carousell against clicking on supposed payment links, as this could lead to their bank accounts being hacked.

The warning issued Tuesday came as the police reported 644 cases of people being defrauded of a total of $36 million in the first 10 months of the year, after they clinked on a link supplied by bogus buyers on Carousell.

But this number represents just a small fraction of the total number of technology crimes recorded in the same period.

Basahin ang detalye!

According to the authorities, 28,000 such scams have been reported so far, a 23.7 percent increase over the same period last year.

Of these, a third involved online shopping, where the total losses amounted to a total of $332 million, more than double than in the previous year.

In the case of Carousell, the number of scams rose ironically, after the online selling platform introduced a new system in August to prevent fraud. Under this set-up, a seller receives payment only after the buyer has confirmed receipt of the goods.

But scammers found a way to exploit the new system from the get-go, resulting in 330 cases of fraud being reported between August and October, involving losses amounting to $25 million.

According to the police, scammers would pose as buyers and offer to pay for the items through the new system, but would then ask the seller to provide an email address.

After the seller provided an email address, the supposed buyer passed on a phishing link, which when clicked, led to a website that asked for details of the seller’s online banking account, supposedly for payment.

The fraudsters posing as buyers would then drain the victims’ accounts.

In one case, the losses involved amounted to $900,000.

Carousell chief of staff Tan Su-lin said users are not supposed to provide their email address when using the payment service, and should definitely not click on links or scan QR codes from unknown senders, or provide sensitive personal information over email or chat.

“In today's day and age, it's really a very risky behaviour to click on any links that you receive, whether it's via e-mail, or through your WhatsApp,” she said.

Chief Inspector Felton Leung said buyers eager to snap a bargain on the platform are also victimized, as in the case of people who are desperate to get hold of concert tickets on the black market.

“The scammers … play mind games with the victims. They knew that the victims want [the product] so much and it's so hard to get in any other places, so they will put on some time frame or time constraint on the victims. If they don't settle the deal as soon as possible, they will not get the tickets”, he explained.

Leung advised buyers to transact only with reputable sellers, and to opt for face-to-face transaction whenever possible.

Police said similar scams had been reported in Singapore and Malaysia, so they will investigate whether these are linked to those in Hong Kong, and whether they were the work of the same syndicate.

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Be careful when using anti-dandruff shampoo: Consumer Council

 

The onset of cold weather has increased the number of people complaining of flaky and itchy skin, and dandruff.

Before buying anti-dandruff shampoo, however, people could consider the advice of the Consumer Council: “Consumers should first look into the root cause (of dandruff) before selecting suitable products to address their problem.”

In a study, the council tested 25 brands of shampoo containing four anti-dandruff active ingredients -- zinc pyrithione (ZPT), piroctone olamine, climbazole, and salicylic acid – with prices ranging from $50 to $430 per bottle. The test did not grade them for their dandruff removal performance.

Basahin ang detalye!

The council found that three of these brands did not contain the four anti-dandruff ingredients, of which two claimed to use herbal ingredients against dandruff.

Of these 25 brands, four were found to contain ZPT at above the limits set by the European Union’s (EU) Cosmetics Regulation, although they meet the requirements of the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) for use as an active ingredient in Over-the-Counter (OTC) drug products, and complied with the requirements of the Mainland’s Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics.

Aside from its anti-dandruff quaity, ZPT is also antibacterial. “However, animal studies have shown ZPT may damage the unborn child, while studies have also shown that it could cause allergic contact dermatitis, as well as irritation if it gets into the eyes,” it said.

The Consumer Council said 10 brands contained salicylic acid, one of which had a concentration as high as 1.9%, which may be categorized as an OTC drug if sold in the US.

“… the majority of the models with salicylic acid as a labelled ingredient did not carry the warning label ‘not to be used for children under 3 years of age’ in accordance with EU requirement,” the council said.

The test also found fragrance allergens in over 90% of the brands, of which two were even detected with the butylphenyl methylpropional (BMHCA), which is banned in EU due to its reproductive toxicity.

Eight of the brands were found to contain galaxolide (HHCB), which is not only allergenic, but also highly toxic to aquatic life and not readily biodegradable, posing a threat to the marine ecosystem, it said.

The Council said consumers should take care of their scalp regularly to avoid dandruff problems by doing the following:

- Select products based on the scalp and hair type, and consider switching shampoos according to changes in the weather, such as using products with better oil control during summer, and opting for more moisturizing products in winter;

- Avoid using excessively hot water for washing hair, and refrain from scratching the scalp with fingernails as it may cause wounds and infection. Rinse hair thoroughly after using hair products;

- Minimize use of hairstyling products and hair dyes, as the irritating ingredients may increase dandruff formation; also reduce the use of products containing alcohol or greasy haircare products.

- Carefully review product labels before purchasing, and avoid products with highly allergenic ingredients such as fragrance allergens, methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMIT), especially for individuals with eczema or skin allergy;

- Use according to the instructions, including the usage frequency and amount, and the duration of leaving the product on the scalp;

- If symptoms do not subside after using anti-dandruff shampoo for a period of time, or if redness or swelling of the scalp occurs, the user should seek medical advice.

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Bus fares to go up on Jan 25

 

The new fares will take effect on Jan 25

The Hong Kong government today approved bus fare increases of between 4.5 per cent and 7.5 per cent, effective Jan. 25, resulting in 80 per cent of passengers expected to pay no more than $0.5 extra per trip and about 95 per cent expected to pay no more than $1 extra per trip.

The fare increases approved by the Chief Executive in Council (CE in C) were mostly lower than the increases requested by franchised bus operators:

(a) The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) got an overall 4.3 per cent weighted average rate of increase after a 0.9 percentage points (ppts) mitigation effect by its Franchised Bus Toll Exemption Fund (TEF) (i.e. 5.2 per cent before mitigation); it applied for 6.5 per cent.

(b) Citybus Limited (Franchise for the Urban and New Territories bus network) (CTB(U&NT)) got an overall weighted average increase of 7.5 per cent; it aplied for 9.5 per cet.

(c) New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited (NLB) got an overall weighted average increase of 6.5 per cent; it applierd for 6.5 per cent.

Basahin ang detalye!

A government spokesman said the Government has duly exercised its gatekeeping role by carefully and rigorously scrutinizing the fare increase applications from franchised bus operators.

“The decision of the CE in C endeavored to minimise impacts on livelihood on one hand, and on the other also take into account the financial sustainability of franchised bus operators, with a view to enabling the franchised bus operators to continue to provide reliable and safe services to citizens,” the spokesman said.

“During the approval process, the government has examined the operating situation of the franchised bus industry, forecast financial performance, indices relevant to public affordability, as well as quality and quantity of their bus services,” the spokesman said.

The Government has also exempted franchised bus operators from paying tolls when using government tolled tunnels and control areas since February 2019. The Tunnel Exemption Funds set up with the tolls saved has continued to perform its function, and effectively reduced the rate of fare increase of KMB this time.

The spokesman said, "Although patronage and revenue of franchised buses have bounced back noticeably after the epidemic, they are unable to fully recover to the pre-epidemic level due to reasons such as changes in travelling and consumption patterns.

“Further, franchised bus operators need to maintain reasonable remuneration packages to attract a high-quality workforce, as well as make investments in transition to a new energy bus fleet. The Government has been assisting franchised bus operators in making substantial efforts to improve operational sustainability over the past few years, including broadening sources of non-farebox revenue, and enhancing operational efficiency through rationalisation of bus routes having regard to latest patterns of passenger demand. After careful consideration of the overall situation, the Government is satisfied that suitable adjustments to fares are necessary to help the franchised bus operators to maintain reasonable financial capability to continue to operate and invest."

The spokesman continued, "There had been few increases in franchised bus fares for a period in the past. Over the longer horizon, the cumulative rates of fare increases are still noticeably lower than changes in the Composite Consumer Price Index (CCPI) and other indices within the corresponding period. Taking the figures since mid-2008 as an example, after including the fare increases approved this time, the cumulative fare increases of the three franchises over the some 16 years averaged 1.6 per cent to 2.2 per cent on a yearly basis, while the cumulative change in the CCPI averaged 3 per cent on a yearly basis and the cumulative change in Median Monthly Household Income averaged 4.2 per cent on a yearly basis."

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Court throws out Filipina’s theft case, says employer should be the one charged

 

Rechel Paner (2nd left) poses in front of the Fanling Court with the Consulate’s representative Danny Baldon, duty lawyer’s interpreter Lorna Gelizon and the court intepreter, Christine Santos

The Fanling Court today dismissed theft charges against a Filipina domestic helper and turned the tables on her accuser, her former employer, suggesting authorities charge her with perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to defraud the Immigration Department.

Magistrate Kenneth Chan also criticized the police for giving him an “ugly impression that it sided with the rich and did not respect the rights of the downtrodden” after officers ignored an earlier complaint of Rechel Paner, 39 years old, who called the emergency number 999 that she was assaulted by her employer, and instead arrested her for theft.

Paner was accused by her employer Lo Wai-yin of stealing her diamond ring, a gold nugget and a jewelry box in her three-story house on Melrose Ave. in Lok Ma Chau.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

After she was charged, Paner was detained for five months because her two bail applications were rejected twice, until Magistrate Chan took over the case, started the trial and allowed her to post bail of $1,000.

In his verdict, Magistrate Chan branded as fabricated the allegation that Paner stole the jewelry and put them in a laundry bag that contained her belongings on March 15, 2024.

During the four-day trial, it was established she was not the only one who had access to the laundry bag; there was another domestic helper, aside from the employer’s family.

Basahin ang detalye!

He also noted that the CCTV cameras were turned off in the whole house on that day, which the employer explained was because Paner did not want to be filmed while changing clothes. But the maids’ room, where she changed clothes, has no CCTV camera, he noted.

Prosecution, he concluded, failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Paner stole the items. “I do not believe they were stolen,” he declared.

During the trial, another domestic helper appeared as prosecution witness.

It turned out that she was not supposed to be working for Lo, because immigration records show that her employment visa was based on a work contract signed with a certain Elaine Yiu, and was not registered with the Philippine Consulate.

The Filipina admitted she was working for Lo without proper documents, which put both of them at risk of being charged with conspiracy to defraud the Immigration Director.

“I urge Police and Immigration authorities to join forces to investigate this,” Chan said.

After her acquittal, Paner approached her duty lawyer, Yasmine Zahir, to thank her.

She also thanked the Consulate’s representative Danny Baldon and the duty lawyer’s interpreter Lorna Gelizon, who each chipped in $500 for her bail, which she repaid once she got out of jail, as well as the court intepreter, Christine Santos.

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Romance scams lead to losses of over $10M in just one week

Fake shipping labels used in a romance-mail scam

Criminals in Hong Kong have been turning to online fraud as the fastest way to make money, and romance scams are still very much the way women are robbed of their life savings.

In the past week alone, the police said they received 21 reports of online romance scams, with  total losses of more than $10 million. Among the victims was a 48-year-old non-local woman who lost about $4.8 million to an online beau who posed as a cryptocurrency investor.

As often happens  in these cases, a third party is brought into the picture, usually a bank account holder who is enticed to lend, sell, or turn over his or her ATM to the online lover, who then uses it to launder the proceeds from the scam.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

What happens next is that the culprit or culprits disappear without a trace, leaving the account holder, in many cases a foreign domestic helper or any such vulnerable resident, alone to face the prospect of being jailed for money laundering.

According to the police, the victim in this recent case initially received a random message on WhatsApp, which led to her agreeing to have a romantic relationship with the online fraudster. The scammer then started asking the woman to keep putting money in a fake investment scheme.

As what happens in such cases, the fraudster or fraudsters (as there could be several people taking turns wooing and beguiling the victim) disappear when they can no longer squeeze money from the victim.

Basahin ang detalye!

Authorities warn this is not the first time that a romance scam turned into an investment fraud, so people, particularly women, should be wary of unknown people who often pose as professionals, befriending them on social media

These scammers often engage in flattery and confess to some vulnerability to establish a romantic relationship, before engaging in various ploys to extract money from the unsuspecting victim.

A usual excuse is the urgent need for cash because of an emergency, or to pay for customs duties for a valuable gift that the fraudster supposedly sent to the victim. Nowadays, one of the tricks used is  to entice the victim to progressively put in money on a supposed high-yielding investment scheme.

To avoid falling prey to such scams, people are told to verify the identities of unknown individuals who contact them on social media by checking their friends’ lists for any mutual friends, and initiating video calls to at least have an idea of how the other person looks.

Additionally, if asked for large sums for supposed medical expenses, cash flow issues, or customs fees for valuable gifts from abroad, the target victims should immediately stop communicating with the other person.

In addition, everyone must stay away from unheard-of investment platforms, and from downloading unverified applications.

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Anti-scam event draws attention to crimes ensnaring OFWs

 

 

Police Deputy Comm Chow Yat-ming addresses the anti-scam event

A two-day Anti-Scam Carnival which ended today at the West Kowloon Cultural District has shone a spotlight on what has accounted for almost half of all crimes in Hong Kong, and has ensnared a growing number of Filipinos who ended up being imprisoned for money laundering.

Chow Yat-ming, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), said Police recorded 36,405 fraud cases as of October 2024, accounting for 46.3 per cent of the total crimes. The monetary loss involved reached $7.04 billion during the period, he added.

Accompanying the rise in scams was the increase in money laundering cases by nearly 60 per cent as of October 2024, compared with the same period of 2023.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Chow reminded the public to pay attention to anti-money laundering messages from Police, safeguard their personal accounts, and never rent, lend or sell their bank accounts or e-wallets the third parties.

He urged them to stay vigilant against deception, support Police anti-scam campaigns and share scam prevention information with friends and family to collectively guard against scams.

The public has been receptive to the campaign, as downloads of the mobile application Scameter+ has exceeded 840 000, with an increase of 47 per cent this year.

PINDUTIN DITO

Such public involvement in avoiding scams is matched by Police collaboration with various sectors to comprehensively combat scammers.

For instance, since November 2023, Police have worked with the banking industry to implement several measures including the Suspicious Account Alert system, which extended its coverage to include online banking, e-wallets, and bank counter transactions starting from August this year.

This month, the third phase of the system was rolled out to cover automated teller machines (ATMs), offering the public a more comprehensive protection.

The Anti-Scam Carnival was organized by the Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB), the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) and the Financial Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (FIIB) of the Hong Kong Police Force held the Anti-Scam Carnival at the West Kowloon Cultural District to increase public awareness of scam, money laundering and cyber threats through thematic game booths, as well as various music, dance and magic performance.

Basahin ang detalye!

Also officiating at the ceremony were the Director of Crime and Security, Yip Wan-lung; the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime), Chung Wing-man; the Chief Superintendent of FIIB, Ms Cheng Lai-ki; the Chief Superintendent of CCB, Yau Kin-hung; and the Chief Superintendent of CSTCB, Lam Cheuk-ho.

In the award presentation of the Anti-Scam of Lucky Draw organised by the CSTCB, attracting over 1.8 million participants, the grand prize winner received an electric vehicle.

To report any scam to police, go to: https://www2.erc.police.gov.hk/cmiserc/EGIS-HK-Web_NEW_UI/ereport_details