The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) earlier received complaints from members of the public against a badminton coach. He was suspected of making false claims of being a former member of the Hong Kong Team to consumers through course posters and social network platforms. The incidents were suspected to have constituted offences of applying false trade descriptions under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
After initial investigation, Customs officers yesterday (April 13) arrested a 26-year-old man in Tseung Kwan O. The case is still under investigation and the arrested person has been put on bail.
It is an offence for a trader, in the course of trade or business, to apply a false trade description to a service supplied or offered to be supplied to a consumer, or supply or offer to supply to a consumer a service to which a false trade description is applied. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
The C&ED reminded traders to comply with the statutory requirements of the TDO. Traders should not provide consumers with false or misleading information on its services or goods. If traders are uncertain whether the information is genuine, they should verify it before providing it to consumers.
Members of the public may report suspected cases in violation of the TDO to the C&ED by calling the 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.
Ends/Thursday, April 14, 2016