Impersonating Customers Cause Pecuniary and Stock Loss to Merchants

2023-11-03

Defrauding Tricks

Recently, the police received reports from various public and private organisations that scammers impersonating school staff or teachers called them and claimed to order food and supplies in bulk. The scammers then asked them to order expensive goods from a designated supplier on behalf of the schools. To dismiss their suspicion, the scammers made transfer to the merchants’ bank accounts by dishonoured or invalid cheques through cheque deposit machines.

Scammers would impersonate not only school staff or teachers but also staff of public or private organisations, and call or send messages to businesses, asking them to advance payments for ordering goods. Do not believe the scammers’ identities simply by the phone numbers they provide. You are advised to verify their identities by making enquiries from the relevant organisations on public websites and check if there is such payment in the “available balance” of your bank account.

Our Advice

• Do not be tempted by profits generated by high-value businesses or advance payments;

• When receiving payment by cheque, you should check if there is a rise in “available balance”. “Bank deposit slip” or increase in “ledger balance” do not indicate successful transfer;

• If you receive calls purportedly from staff of any organisations, you should verify their identities by calling the contact numbers shown on public websites;

• You may also enter the suspicious information on “Scameter” or “Scameter+”, the mobile app of “Scameter”, for security check;

• Remind your relatives and friends to stay vigilant against deception;

• If in doubt, please call the “Anti-Scam Helpline 18222” for enquiries.