A young Macau couple is facing criminal charges for an alleged scam concerning the delivery of department store vouchers. The main suspect in this case is the husband, aged 34, who is suspected of having deceived at least seven victims into “investing” in department store cash vouchers. According to the first victim, the suspect sold him cash vouchers for a department store in Macau. Initially, the deals were all honest. However, the suspect subsequently persuaded the first victim to invest six million patacas to buy the vouchers for an even lower price and with a 3% interest rate. The money was later all spent on the suspect’s investment in Cambodia. The Judiciary Police later identified evidence that suggested the suspect’s wife was also involved.
Group takes advantage of healthcare voucher grey area
A group of 12 Macau local residents is suspected of fraud involving the collection of thousands of identification cards to dishonestly cash out healthcare vouchers. The group has three masterminds, including a doctor, an owner of a Chinese medicine pharmacy, and an owner of a food products shop. Last year, the group cooperated to collect local residents’ identification cards in exchange for sums equivalent to 30% to 40% of government’s healthcare voucher. At one point, the doctor’s clinic used 27 healthcare vouchers within one hour, amounting to an appointment time of less than three minutes per appointment. This situation triggered the Health Bureau’s suspicion. Since last May, the shop has collected over 11,000 identification cards, cashing out nine million patacas in total.
Man nearly falls to sex scam second time
A young local man has almost fallen victim, for the second time, to the same type of sexual service scam. The man, unemployed and aged in his 30s, came in contact with an unknown woman online. The two started talking online on April 5. On April 17, at 8 p.m, the man engaged in a video chat with the woman. During the talk, she claimed she could provide him paid sexual services for 800 patacas. The two reached an agreement for a deal to take place at noon on April 18. On the scheduled day, the man arrived at Estrada do Repouso as agreed, to meet up with the woman. He had given her his personal phone number. However, the woman contacted him via phone, asking him to buy 3,000 game points (equivalent to 800 patacas) from a convenience store nearby. Still haunted by his previous experience with a similar crime involving sexual services and game points, the man called off the deal. In response, the woman threatened to have him crippled and killed. Horrified by the threats, the man reported the case to the police authority. Previously, in July 2016, the man fell victim to a similar case, losing 12,650 patacas.
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