Cases down, losses up: Hong Kong fights phone scams as amount swindled quadruples to US1 million

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Hong Kong is experiencing a rise in financial loss as a result of mobile scams, despite the city’s increased prevalence of mainland Chinese learners falling victim.

In the first third of the year, 474 mobile con cases were reported, a 21 % decrease from the same period last year, according to local authorities. But the amount of money lost more than quadrupled to HK$ 789 million ( US$ 101 million ) from HK$ 195 million.

The majority of losses were caused by government official portrayal schemes. While there were 168 like circumstances, simply more than a third of the total score, they were responsible for at least HK$ 760 million of the cash swindled, local media reported.

According to Senior Inspector Lam Pui-hang of the Hong Kong Police Force’s knowledge meeting and con answer staff, more mainland Chinese students in the area are also falling for these schemes. &nbsp,

The South China Morning Post (SCMP ) reports that there were 39 cases involving mainland Chinese students in the first quarter of 2024, compared to 29 cases during the same time last year.

” BRAINWASHED” BY SCAMMERS

One of the recent cases involved an 18-year-old mainland Chinese victim. The first-year university student, identified as” Chen,” gave a video call to a police press conference about her experience.

Chen relates how she was contacted by phony immigration authorities who claimed to be her. &nbsp,

The caller had claimed that she had posted “undesirable advertisements” under her phone number registered in China and thus “violated Hong Kong laws” and would be “blacklisted”, HK01 reported. &nbsp,

Later, Chen was moved to a caller who claimed to be a police officer in mainland China and claimed to be involved in a money-laundering investigation. Additionally, the con artist gave her transfer information in statements from her real bank account.

Later, she received a copy of the arrest warrant and a freeze order. Due to the fact that Hong Kong officials and several banks were involved in the case, she was advised to keep any information a secret or she would be detained right away. &nbsp,

” At that moment I was extremely agitated”, Chen said in Mandarin. &nbsp,

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Putin to visit Beijing, meet Xi this week

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” NO LIMITS” Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, told AFP:” The Russians want China to do more to support it. China is reluctant to do that because it does n’t want to undermine its relationship with the West,” Gabuev, director, said. Since Beijing’s invading Ukraine, commerceContinue Reading

‘A rubber band snapping back’: Thailand’s cannabis U-turn a return to political middle-ground, say observers

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POLITICAL POSTURING

There are still questions about how the Pheu Thai-led state will implement changes to the law, despite decades of draft cannabis bills circulating.

Before a last act is chosen by the government and then presented to congress, the Ministry of Public Health has stated that more conversation is required. According to Mr. Srettha, a committee he chairs, the Narcotics Control Board did decide final information. &nbsp,

However, the ruling coalition state itself, one of Pheu Thai’s companions, is divided over hemp, which is mainly responsible for ushering in the legalization time.

Anutin Charnvirakul, a former health minister, Bhumjaithai head, and deputy prime minister, has been vocal about a right and proper review being conducted before any limitations are re-imposed.

According to Dr. Yuttaporn Issarachai, a social scientist from Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, gentle conversations would have taken place within the ruling coalition regarding what the limitations should really be and how to prevent the government from splintering over the problem. &nbsp,

” I think a certain amount of discussion must have already taken place,” Bhumjaithai said.

” Despite the push to re- criminalise cannabis, I do n’t think Bhumjaithai will be so affected that it would leave the coalition. We ca n’t forget that although the cannabis policy is from Bhumjaithai, particularly when Mr Anuthin was the health minister, the re- criminalisation is wanted by quite a lot of people”, he said. &nbsp,

Mr. Srettha’s cabinet just changed so that more proper names are now held in important portfolio positions, which would enable him to advance the political agenda of his party.

In recent months, the government has faced significant plan turbulence, including the government’s failure to fulfill important election promises, including its digital wallet initiative to boost the economy through a cash flyer program.

Obstacles have also been overcome by another populist measures, such as lowering energy prices, suspending farmer obligations, and raising the minimum wage.

Mr. Srettha may soon gain popularity in the area of cannabis and achieve favor among the electorate’s conservatives.

As cannabis use has increased, group concerns and harm have increased, according to Associate Professor Paul Chambers from the Center for ASEAN Community Research at Naresuan University.

According to the Center of Addiction Research at Chulalongkorn University, cannabis use has increased by ten times since legalization in the last two decades among young people, according to statistics. Cannabis people in 2022 reached 11.1 million, the heart found.

Professor Paisan Limstit, a writer of the decriminalisation of hemp, from the Health Laws and Ethics Center at Thammasat University, welcomed the prime minister’s strong position.

He has recently lamented the social effects of legalizing marijuana and claimed that the country’s tourism industry has suffered the most harm as a result of drug use, as well as criminal activity, and reputational harm.

The government should take great care of it, the author says. But there is still doubt in the matter of information”, he said. &nbsp,

The state will probably also take into account important economic factors. Taxing cannabis do provide great windfalls to the president’s coffers. &nbsp,

Assoc Prof Chambers believes that cannabis ‘ financial perks for a nation’s sector are likely to be unquestionable given that they are still recovering from COVID-19, making it unlikely that it will ever completely disappear.

Mr. Srettha is attempting to fulfill Pheu Thai’s campaign promise to impose stricter laws on cannabis sales and use. He also acknowledges that pot is a product that may benefit the Thai economy at the same time. &nbsp,

” Income will win out. One way or another, cannabis as a commodity did be accessible to people in Thailand, maybe just a little pricier. That’s all”.

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Malaysia PM Anwar meets Hamas leaders in Qatar, urges Israel to stop atrocities against Palestinians

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Anwar even conveyed&nbsp, his sympathies on the moving of Haniyeh’s community members who were killed in attacks by Israel.

In an April strike on the Gaza Strip, Haniyeh’s three children were killed.

The three children were described as Hamas armed wing workers by the Israeli defense as being responsible for carrying out the assault.

Four of Haniyeh’s children, three girls and a son, were even killed in the attack, Hamas said.

The Israeli army responded,” No information on that at this time,” when asked about the four grandchildren who were killed in the attack.”

This was Anwar’s first&nbsp, encounter- to- face conference with Haniyeh&nbsp, as excellent secretary of Malaysia.

Anwar has met the major Hamas head twice, with the last one in 2020 when Haniyeh visited Malaysia. They even met in 2019.

According to Malaysian media outlet Bernama, the prime minister also met with the two Qatari government top officials to talk about the issue.

He claimed that both countries agreed that everyone should play a role in finding a way to stop Israeli people’s suffering, according to Bernama.

According to Gaza health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and soldiers, the Arab death toll in the conflict has today surpassed 35,000.

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China’s EV overcapacity may set it on a political collision course with the US

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Lu Feng, a doctor with Peking University’s National School of Development, said at a recent seminar that overcapacity was more pronounced among makers of diesel cars, chemical products, chips and lithium chargers. Despite China’s rapid and extensive Vehicle implementation and the growing it self-sufficiency struggle fueled by geopolitics and technicalContinue Reading