8 arrested for allegedly faking traffic accidents in Hong Kong to claim handouts

Hong Kong police have arrested eight people aged as young as 22 for allegedly defrauding the Social Welfare Department by fabricating traffic accidents and pretending to be victims.

The police force said on Thursday that the suspects, seven men and a woman aged between 22 and 60, were linked to eight applications to the department’s traffic accident victims assistance scheme. Police identified them in an operation carried out from Monday to Wednesday.

Some of the suspects said they were drivers involved in traffic accidents, citing reasons such as avoiding dogs or encountering slippery roads, while others claimed they were passengers who were hurt, according to police.

These drivers or passengers would then submit multiple forged medical certificates, claiming injuries to obtain sick leave ranging from 94 to 180 days while applying for financial help from the scheme.

Police said the arrests were made in response to cases referred by the department in April.

The suspects have been released pending further investigation. Police are still investigating whether the cases involve organised crime.