What's New

The Assistant Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (Corporate Communications and Operations), Ms Joyce LAI, was interviewed by RTHK Radio 3’s “Backchat” on 7 August to explain the enquiries and complaint cases received by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) earlier concerning suspected fraudulent electronic visa (e-visa) websites and to share fraud prevention tips with members of the public.
 
During the interview, the Assistant Privacy Commissioner noted that the summer holiday period is a peak season for outbound travel, when suspected fraudulent e-visa websites have appeared increasingly. The PCPD received 16 enquiries or complaint cases over the past three months, all involving the provision of personal data, including names, gender, nationalities, passport numbers and dates of birth, as well as payment of relevant application fees to suspected fraudulent e-visa websites. 
 
She highlighted several common features of fraudulent e-visa websites, including URLs with spelling mistakes, extra letters or numbers; prominent placement in “Sponsored” or “Ad” sections at the top of search engine results pages to attract users; the absence of legitimate contact information; and the imposition of hidden surcharges or excessively high fees. She reminded members of the public to stay vigilant when applying for e-visas online, to carefully verify the website and avoid relying solely on search engine results.
 
Click here to listen to the interview by RTHK Radio 3’s “Backchat”.