Secretary for Security John Lee has called on the public to stay vigilant against phone scams in light of new deception tactics.
Briefing the media after today's Fight Crime Committee meeting, he said phone scammers are now deceiving victims by acquiring their pictures and asking them to assist with an investigation.
They then tell the victims' families the victim has been kidnapped.
Mr Lee said there were 609 telephone deceptions in the first seven months of this year, up 30% on the same period last year. The losses amounted to $170 million.
The Anti-Deception Co-ordination Centre stopped 23 phone scams involving a total of $13 million.
Reviewing the January-July crime situation, Mr Lee said Hong Kong's law and order situation remained steady with 33,126 crime cases recorded, down 4.5% year-on-year.
Noting the number of young people arrested fell to 1,641, which accounted for 9% of the total number of arrestees, Mr Lee said it is the first time the percentage has dropped to a single digit.
When asked about the enforcement of a National Anthem law in Hong Kong, which is being discussed by the National People's Congress Standing Committee, Mr Lee said the Legislative Council will deliberate on when it will be enacted in the city.
"What will be enacted in the law will be clear in its meaning so the people of Hong Kong will understand how they should behave in regard to the provision.
"As to how the law is to be enforced, it is a matter of the wording of the law and then how the law enforcement agencies collect evidence and present the evidence in court. It has to be according to the circumstances of the case itself."
