Man tempts hotel staff to capture credit card data
2000-1-13
An unemployed man, who was caught by the ICAC after he taught a hotel staff how to capture customers’ credit card data for making counterfeit cards, appeared at South Kowloon Court today (Thursday).
Lai Po-keung, 29, admitted that he had tried to bribe a Front Office Assistant of Eaton Hotel and asked him to use a skimmer to collect credit card data.
Lai pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a skimmer for manufacturing counterfeit credit cards and one of possessing two false credit cards on June 10, 1998.
Magistrate Mr Henry Mierzack adjourned the case to January 27, 2000 for sentence, pending a background report. The defendant was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The court heard that the ICAC earlier received information alleging that some staff members of the Eaton Hotel in Yaumatei might have taken bribes for capturing customers’ genuine credit card data.
Investigations revealed that in early 1998, the defendant requested Yip Kwok-keung, a Front Office Assistant of Eaton Hotel, to capture bona fide credit data while the latter processed credit card transactions, and offered to pay Yip monetary rewards.
In April 1998, the defendant approached Yip again and gave Yip a skimmer for capturing customers’ credit card data. The defendant reiterated that the data would be used to manufacture counterfeit credit cards to be uttered overseas in order to avoid detection.
Yip did not use the skimmer. He kept it in his locker at the hotel.
During a meeting monitored by ICAC officers on June 10, 1998, Yip returned the skimmer to the defendant.
The defendant was later arrested by ICAC officers. The skimmer and two counterfeit credit cards were recovered from the defendant.
When interviewed under caution, the defendant claimed that the skimmer and the two counterfeit credit cards were provided by a Mainland citizen.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Johnny Yau.
Lai Po-keung, 29, admitted that he had tried to bribe a Front Office Assistant of Eaton Hotel and asked him to use a skimmer to collect credit card data.
Lai pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a skimmer for manufacturing counterfeit credit cards and one of possessing two false credit cards on June 10, 1998.
Magistrate Mr Henry Mierzack adjourned the case to January 27, 2000 for sentence, pending a background report. The defendant was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The court heard that the ICAC earlier received information alleging that some staff members of the Eaton Hotel in Yaumatei might have taken bribes for capturing customers’ genuine credit card data.
Investigations revealed that in early 1998, the defendant requested Yip Kwok-keung, a Front Office Assistant of Eaton Hotel, to capture bona fide credit data while the latter processed credit card transactions, and offered to pay Yip monetary rewards.
In April 1998, the defendant approached Yip again and gave Yip a skimmer for capturing customers’ credit card data. The defendant reiterated that the data would be used to manufacture counterfeit credit cards to be uttered overseas in order to avoid detection.
Yip did not use the skimmer. He kept it in his locker at the hotel.
During a meeting monitored by ICAC officers on June 10, 1998, Yip returned the skimmer to the defendant.
The defendant was later arrested by ICAC officers. The skimmer and two counterfeit credit cards were recovered from the defendant.
When interviewed under caution, the defendant claimed that the skimmer and the two counterfeit credit cards were provided by a Mainland citizen.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Johnny Yau.