Hong Kong fraud case: Man pleads guilty to scamming elderly with fake water filters

A 40-year-old man, Leung Kam-chiu, has pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud in a scheme targeting elderly residents in Hong Kong. Between July and October 2024, Leung impersonated social workers from the Social Welfare Department or staff from a water filter company. He visited various public housing estates, including Shun Shui Po, Tin Shui Wai, and Kwai Chung, offering free water filter installations under government subsidies.

After the installation, Leung demanded between $2,500 and $3,000 from the victims, falsely claiming the money would be refunded to their bank accounts or welfare accounts. The second defendant, 65-year-old Chan Mau-cheung, was charged with 10 counts of fraud for his role in performing the actual installations. Chan has pleaded not guilty, disputing the voluntariness of his previous admissions to police.

Police identified the suspects through CCTV and mobile phone investigations, which linked Leung to the addresses and gate codes sent to Chan. Leung remains in custody pending sentencing on October 30.