Following the launch of the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter last year, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (10 April), in collaboration with the Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB), the launch of the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter 2.0 (the Charter 2.0). With the participation of more institutions and merchants, the expanded coverage of the Charter will further assist the public in guarding against credit card scams and other digital frauds.
Over 230 financial institutions and merchant institutions participate in the Charter 2.0 (see Annex 1), covering different aspects of the public's daily lives, including banking, insurance, mandatory provident fund (MPF), securities and futures industries, food and beverage, logistics, transport, travel, and retail sectors (see Annex 2). The Charter 2.0 has received full support from the Airport Authority, the Consumer Council, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Insurance Authority, the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission, and the Travel Industry Authority.
The Charter 2.0 focuses on four key principles to assist the public in identifying credit card scams and other digital frauds as well as guarding against phishing messages purportedly to be sent by financial institutions and merchant institutions. Participating institutions commit not to send any instant electronic messages to customers with embedded hyperlinks to acquire bank, credit card, investment, insurance and MPF account or other key personal information online, and to convey anti-scam education messages.
Mr Eddie Yue, Chief Executive of the HKMA, said, "We are very pleased that the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter launched last year received support and positive feedback from the community. This year, we have taken another step in launching the Charter 2.0 and inviting more financial institutions and merchants from various sectors to participate, enhancing the strength and effectiveness of public protection through concerted efforts. As the Charter expands to cover a wider range of aspects of people’s daily lives, we hope to enhance the public’s ability to guard against scams through a multi-pronged approach in conjunction with various anti-scam measures of the HKMA.”
During the event, Mr Arthur Yuen, Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA, along with representatives of the HKAB and supporting organisations, shared the latest landscape of scam activities and the measures implemented by institutions to prevent scams, reflecting the efforts of various sectors in tackling the modus operandi of scams to protect the public from falling prey to them. The HKMA once again reminds the public not to click on links indiscriminately, and to exercise caution when handling any suspicious links.
Annex 1: Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter 2.0
Annex 2: List of Participating Institutions
Hong Kong Monetary Authority
10 April 2024
Mr Eddie Yue, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, gives opening remarks at the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter 2.0 event, announcing that the coverage of the Charter is expanded to include more institutions and merchants.
Mr Arthur Yuen, Deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (first from left); Ms Janet Pang, Managing Director, Head of Distribution, Wealth and Personal Banking Hong Kong, HSBC and Representative of the Chairman Bank in the Card Service Committee of the Hong Kong Association of Banks (fifth from left); Mr Raymond Lam, Chief Superintendent of Police of the Cyber Security & Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force (fourth from left); Mr Clement Cheung, Chief Executive Officer of the Insurance Authority (second from left); and Mr Cheng Yan-chee, Managing Director of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (third from left) share the latest landscape on the modus operandi of scams and actions on combatting scams at a fireside chat of the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter 2.0 event.
Mr Eddie Yue, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (fifth from left); Ms Luanne Lim, Chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Banks and Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong, HSBC (second from left); Mr Julian Lee, Executive Director of Finance of the Airport Authority (ninth from left); Ms Gilly Wong, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council (seventh from left); Mr Raymond Lam, Chief Superintendent of Police of the Cyber Security & Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force (first from left); Mr Clement Cheung, Chief Executive Officer of the Insurance Authority (sixth from left); Mr Cheng Yan-chee, Managing Director of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (third from left); Ms Julia Leung, Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Futures Commission (fourth from left); Ms Venus Wu, Director of Corporate Services of the Travel Industry Authority (eighth from left) participate in the ceremony of the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter 2.0 event, symbolising the joint efforts of different sectors to help the public to guard against credit card scams and other digital frauds.
Mr Eddie Yue, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (seventh from left); Mr Clement Cheung, Chief Executive Officer of the Insurance Authority (eighth from left); Mr Cheng Yan-chee, Managing Director of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (fifth from left); Ms Julia Leung, Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Futures Commission (sixth from left); and representatives of financial institutions attend the event to support the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter 2.0.
Mr Eddie Yue, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (fifth from left); Ms Luanne Lim, Chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Banks and Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong, HSBC (fourth from left); and representatives of merchant institutions attend the event to support the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter 2.0.
Mr Eddie Yue, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (sixth from left, front row); Ms Luanne Lim, Chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Banks and Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong, HSBC (third from right, front row); Mr Julian Lee, Executive Director of Finance of the Airport Authority (first from left, front row); Ms Gilly Wong, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council (third from left, front row); Mr Raymond Lam, Chief Superintendent of Police of the Cyber Security & Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force (first from right, front row); Mr Clement Cheung, Chief Executive Officer of the Insurance Authority (fifth from left, front row); Mr Cheng Yan-chee, Managing Director of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (fifth from right, front row); Ms Julia Leung, Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Futures Commission (sixth from right, front row); Ms Venus Wu, Director of Corporate Services of the Travel Industry Authority (second from left, front row); and representatives of financial institutions and merchant institutions participate in the Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter 2.0 event.
