Police have arrested 16 people suspected of providing their bank accounts for the laundering of telephone deception proceeds.

Nine men and three women aged 19 to 44 were arrested June 1 to 6 for allowing their bank accounts to be used for others to launder the deception proceeds. Another four men were also arrested, suspected of collecting scores of ATM cards to be used for laundering.

The syndicate is believed to have opened more than 170 accounts for laundering since January, and to have recruited people to open accounts in the Tuen Mun area.

Police remind the public, especially the elderly, to report dubious telephone calls from people asking for large sums of money.