Hong Kong police dismantle rent scam syndicate targeting new arrivals, charge 1

Scammers cheated talent scheme arrivals, mainland students out of HK$13 million by posing as landlords, police say

Hong Kong police have charged a man with conspiracy to defraud after breaking up a syndicate suspected of cheating at least 150 talent scheme arrivals and mainland Chinese students out of HK$13 million (US$1.7 million) in rent by posing as flat owners.

The force said on Saturday that a 36-year-old man, who was arrested as part of the operation, was charged with conspiracy to defraud and that his case was heard in Kowloon City Court on the same day.

Another 10 arrestees have been released on bail and must report to police in the middle of March.

On Friday, the force said the scammers had targeted newcomers to the city, including mainland students and successful applicants to the Top Talent Pass Scheme, which aims to attract top graduates, skilled workers and entrepreneurs from around the globe.

“Investigations revealed that the scammers used various channels to rent residential flats by borrowing others’ identities and impersonating the owners to sublet the units through social media,” Senior Inspector Lam Tsz-lim of West Kowloon’s regional crime unit said.

At least 150 people had fallen victim to the ruse, with 60 per cent of them being students from the mainland, Lam said