Hong Kong Customs combats unfair trade practices at tutorial centre
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Hong Kong Customs today (June 3) arrested a male director, a female tutor and a female salesperson of a tutorial centre suspected of having made false claims on the tutorial services they provided, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
Customs earlier received information alleging that staff members of a tutorial centre in Kowloon City used promotion materials with false claims in the course of sale of tutorials and claimed that a tutor has acquired a bachelor’s degree from a local university and obtained specified outstanding results in public examinations.
After investigation, it was revealed that the tutor did not hold the said bachelor’s degree and her public examination results did not conform with the claims. Customs officers conducted an operation today and arrested one man and two women, aged between 29 and 38.
Investigation is ongoing and the arrested persons have been released on bail pending further investigation.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. Consumers should also procure services at reputable traders and inquire about the service details before making a transactional decision.
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 Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).