A female director-cum-salesperson of a wedding service company was sentenced to carry out 100 hours of community service with a criminal record and was ordered to offer $4,280 compensation to the victim by the District Court today (August 27) following conviction of applying a false trade description in the course of provision of wedding gown rental service supplied to a consumer, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
Hong Kong Customs earlier received information alleging that a wedding service company applied a false trade description in its sale of wedding gown rental service.
Investigation revealed that the company's director-cum-salesperson had falsely claimed to a customer that a wedding gown for rental was a product of a particular brand and charged the customer for an additional sum. However, the gown was subsequently confirmed not a product of that brand.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure services at reputable shops.
Under the TDO, any trader who applies a false trade description to a service supplied to a consumer commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Monday, August 27, 2018