Suspected fraudulent website: www.swissfirstasia.com

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members
of the public in Hong Kong to a suspected fraudulent website with
the domain name "www.swissfirstasia.com". The website is operated
by an alleged "Swissfirst Asia", which claims that it offers
various banking services to members of the public in Hong Kong.

The public should be aware that the alleged "Swissfirst Asia" is
not authorized under the Banking Ordinance to carry on banking
business or the business of taking deposits in Hong Kong, nor does
it have the approval to establish a local representative
office.

The HKMA has referred the case to the Hong Kong Police Force for
further investigation. Anyone who has provided his or her personal
information to the website or has conducted any financial
transactions through the website should contact any local Police
Station or the Commercial Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police
Force at 2860 5012.

Given the global nature of the Internet, members of the public
are reminded to verify the status of any organisation making use of
the Internet to solicit deposits from the public. A list of
authorized institutions is available on the HKMA's website
(www.hkma.gov.hk). Members of the public may also check the status
of any entity in Hong Kong which solicits deposits from the public
with the HKMA by calling its public enquiry hotline 2878 8222.

For further enquiries, please contact:
Jasmin Fung, Manager (Press), at 2878 8246 or
Hing-Fung Wong, Resource Co-ordinator, at 2878 1802

Hong Kong Monetary Authority
12 January 2006