On July 23rd, the Hong Kong Immigration Department held a press conference to officially announce a major fraud case involving the "Gaocai Tong" program. In April, the Immigration Department launched a "cyber shadow" operation, cracking down for the first time on a cross-border criminal group that used false documents to obtain entry permits for the "High end Talent Pass Program" (Gaocai Tong).
At present, 18 people have been arrested (5 Hong Kong black intermediaries and 13 mainland applicants), with a total amount of HKD 55 million involved. It is not ruled out that more people may be arrested in the future.
*Source: Hong Kong Government Website
01
The entire process of a criminal group committing a crime:
From 'fishing' to 'fraud', every step is a pit
This criminal group has been operating for a year and a half, defrauding at least 22 people with a maximum fee of HKD 2.5 million per order. The scam's tactics are precisely aimed at people who want to obtain Hong Kong identity:
1、 Online 'Fishing': Hidden Social Platforms Targeting Target Groups
Group members will lurk on social media platforms in mainland China, following and liking Hong Kong information posts, actively sending private messages to those who intend to come to Hong Kong, and throwing bait: "You don't have to live in Hong Kong for a long time, you can get Hong Kong permanent residency", "one-stop service, including applying for permanent residency", etc.
2、 'One stop shop fraud': from materials to renewals, everything is fake
Pre application - charged HKD 1-1.5 million as "intermediary fee", forged overseas university degrees, overseas student visas, entry and exit stamps, and even fabricated work certificates;
● Accumulate wealth after approval - wait for the applicant to obtain the Gaocai Tong entry permit, and then charge an additional HKD 600000 to HKD 1 million for "follow-up service fees", assisting with Hong Kong ID card processing, renting, and even creating false employment records and salary records to pave the way for renewal and obtaining permanent residency.
02
Don't have a lucky mentality:
The consequences of breaking the law are very serious
The Hong Kong Immigration Department explicitly reminds that such behavior has violated the law and the consequences far exceed "financial losses":
Criminal liability: Manufacturing/using false documents, making false statements to the immigration department, with a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison;
● Invalidation of identity: Entry permits and Hong Kong identity obtained through false materials will be directly cancelled, and the applicant will be deported;
Lifetime restriction: may be included in the Hong Kong entry blacklist and will no longer be able to apply for any Hong Kong visa in the future.
03
Hong Kong officials advise:
Gaocai Tong application, it is essential to understand these two points
1、 'You don't need to live for a long time to get permanent residency' is a scam
Hong Kong permanent residency requires meeting the requirement of "normal residence for 7 years" without any shortcuts, claiming that "it can be done without long-term residence" is essentially trying to deceive people by cheating, and will eventually be investigated.
2、 Falsification will be investigated, don't have a lucky mentality
The immigration department has strengthened its review process and will verify the authenticity of academic qualifications (by connecting with the China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Press and overseas universities) and work records (by checking taxes and Mandatory Provident Fund contributions). Once false materials are found, not only will the identity be invalidated, but the individual will also be held accountable.
To obtain Hong Kong identity, one relies on genuine qualifications and compliant applications - Gaocai Tong was originally designed as a channel to attract real talents. Don't be fooled by black intermediaries, as you may lose money and get into lawsuits.
If you want to apply for Hong Kong status, please feel free to inquire with Xingyunhai International, and we will provide you with customized exclusive solutions.
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