Hong Kong Customs yesterday (January 24) arrested a male director and a female staff member of a chain massage parlour suspected of wrongly accepting payments when selling massage services, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

     Customs earlier received information alleging that a chain massage parlour with three branches failed to provide massage services purchased by customers. Following investigations launched by a swiftly established dedicated team concerning the case, Customs found that the massage parlour still accepted payments for prepaid services from customers even as its branches were in rent arrears, or their leases were about to expire. Customers who had purchased prepaid massage services were unable to use the services concerned and did not receive any refunds after the massage parlour suddenly announced its business closure.

     After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers yesterday conducted an enforcement operation and arrested a 45-year-old male director and a 44-year-old female staff member of the massage parlour connected with the case. 

     An investigation is ongoing and the two arrested persons have been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs has been paying close attention to the case and called on members of the public affected to provide information. As of 8am today (January 25), Customs had received a total of 248 complaints regarding the massage parlour concerned involving massage contracts amounting to about $1.1 million.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. Consumers are also reminded to procure services at reputable shops and think prudently before making consumption decisions with prepayments.

     Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence if at the time of acceptance of payment, the trader intends not to supply the product or intends to supply a materially different product, or there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product within a specified or reasonable period. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
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     Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 1) arrested a female director of a chain education centre suspected of engaging in wrongly accepting payment when selling tutorial programmes, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

     Customs had earlier received numerous complaints alleging that a chain education centre suddenly announced business closures of five branches in Siu Sai Wan, Chai Wan, Shau Kei Wan, Tai Koo and Ho Man Tin on July 29, failing to provide prepaid tutorial programmes purchased by and arrange refunds to customers.

     Customs officers then swiftly conducted an investigation and found that the some branches of the education group were in rent arrears. However, they still accepted payments for prepaid programmes even anticipating that they would be unable to continue operating. A 50-year-old female director of the education centre was subsequently arrested yesterday.

     An investigation is ongoing and the arrested woman is being detained.

     Customs has been paying close attention to, and has arranged a taskforce to follow up on, the incident. As of noon today, Customs has received a total of 310 complaints regarding the education centre, involving tutorial programme fees amounting to about $2.51 million. Customs again called on members of the public affected by the incident to provide information.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. Traders should not accept advance payments from consumers if they are uncertain whether the pertinent services can be delivered to consumers within a specific or reasonable time. Consumers are also reminded to procure services at reputable shops and think prudently before making decisions regarding consumption by prepayment. After purchasing services, consumers should keep the transaction receipts and related records, which can become basic information in case a complaint is lodged in the future.

     Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence if at the time of acceptance of payment, the trader intends not to supply the product or intends to supply a materially different product, or there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product within a specified or reasonable period. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

     ​Hong Kong Customs on October 12 arrested a male staff member of an online electronics retailer suspected of engaging in wrongly accepting payment when selling air conditioners, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

     Customs earlier received information alleging that an online electronics retailer failed to supply air conditioners purchased by customers. Customs officers immediately conducted an investigation and found that customers who had purchased air conditioners were unable to install the products concerned after the retailer concerned suddenly announced business suspension earlier. The retailer also failed to arrange refunds of deposits to the customers. 

     After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers conducted an enforcement operation and arrested a 35-year-old male staff member of the online electronics retailer connected with the case on October 12.

     An investigation is ongoing and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs has been paying close attention to the incident and called on members of the public affected by the incident to provide information. As at 10am today (October 14), Customs had received a total of 93 complaints regarding the online electronics retailer, involving 157 air conditioners and deposits amounting to about $580,000.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. Consumers are also reminded to procure electrical appliances at reputable shops.

     Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence if at the time of acceptance of payment, the trader intends not to supply the product or intends to supply a materially different product, or there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product within a specified or reasonable period. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

     ​Hong Kong Customs today (April 20) arrested a man suspected of engaging in unfair trade practices for making misleading omission and using aggressive commercial practices in the sale of training and consultation services on dating techniques, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

     Customs earlier received information alleging that a man was suspected of omitting material information in the sale of training and consultation services on dating techniques. The man demanded a victim to purchase an additional image transformation service at $100,000 after receiving the membership fee from the victim. Otherwise, he would refuse to give lessons.

     Also, he was suspected of forcing the victim to purchase the image transformation service through the use of coercion by broadcasting a video of the victim on the Internet.

     After investigation, Customs officers today arrested a 32-year-old male suspected to be in connection with the case.

     An investigation is ongoing and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure services at reputable shops.

     Under the TDO, any trader who engages in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely, and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision, commits an offence of misleading omissions. 

     Also, any trader commits an offence of engaging in aggressive commercial practices if harassment, coercion or undue influence is used to impair a consumer’s freedom of choice or conduct, causing the consumer to make a transactional decision.

     The maximum penalty upon conviction for each above-mentioned offence is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).