Hong Kong police arrest man in animal charity flag day scam

Hong Kong police have arrested a 22-year-old man for suspected fraud following a scam targeting the Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals during a scheduled flag day fundraiser.

On September 5, scammers impersonated charity volunteers in the Mong Kok and Hung Hom areas of Kowloon. The perpetrators used light blue donation bags and crudely printed permits to collect donations from passers-by. This differed from the official dark blue bags used by the legitimate association.

Investigations revealed that at least 14 individuals were recruited via a WhatsApp group under the guise of temporary work offering a wage of HK$70 per hour. While these individuals claimed they were unaware of the fraudulent nature of the organization, they were detained for questioning. The arrested suspect faces charges of “obtaining property by deception.”

The charity has urged the public to remain vigilant, noting that only one approved organization is permitted to conduct fundraising during a specific flag day event.