Hong Kong Police Chief Issues Stark Warning to New Students as Scammers Steal Over HK$235 Million

To increase the awareness of preventing scams, New Territories South Regional Police designed a letter from Commissioner of Police. The letter was first issued to students studying in Hong Kong and their parents during New Parent Day Event held by CUHK in August last year, remindering the prevention of scam and sharing some useful tips.

This year, HKPF will promote this letter to all universities in Hong Kong, and will also be issued to students through the Mainland Study Abroad Service Center.

The English version of the letter issued by Hong Kong Police.

The English version of the letter issued by Hong Kong Police, with the signature and photo of Commissioner of Police.

The letter issued this time has added Simplified Chinese version and English version, with the signature and photo of Commissioner of Police, Chow Yat-ming (Joe), introducing the common features of scams and ways of seeking help, helping students and their parents stay away from scams.

Chow Yat-ming first extends a warm welcome to students and their families for studying in Hong Kong in the letter. He also introduces the data from HKPF that there were 44,480 cases of scams in Hong Kong alone last year, with nearly HK$9.15 billion lost.

He points out in the letter that scammers always prey upon international students' limited knowledge of local judicial processes and their inherent trust in governmental bodies. Last year, there were 327 cases of telephone deception involving post-secondary mainland students in Hong Kong, of which 318 cases resulted in monetary losses, amounting to $235.5 million.

Chow Yat-ming also introduces different common scenarios of scams including Impersonation of Law Enforcement, Online Shopping Scams, Employment Fraud: “Click Farm”, Impersonating Customer Services Scam, Investment Fraud and Impersonating Friends/Family.

At the end of the letter, Chow Yat-ming reminds students and their families that if any of them encounters these situations or has doubts about a transaction, they should call 18222 to contact the HKPF’s Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC) for assistance.

Commissioner of Police, Chow Yat-ming.

NEW YORK (AP) — Sysco, the nation's largest food distributor, will acquire supplier Restaurant Depot in a deal worth more than $29 billion.

The acquisition would create a closer link between Sysco and its customers that right now turn to Restaurant Depot for supplies needed quickly in an industry segment known as “cash-and-carry wholesale.”

Sysco, based in Houston, serves more than 700,000 restaurants, hospitals, schools and hotels, supplying them with everything from butter and eggs to napkins. Those goods are typically acquired ahead of time based on how much traffic that restaurants typically see.

Restaurant Depot offers memberships to mom-and-pop restaurants and other businesses, giving them access to warehouses stocked with supplies for when they run short of what they've purchased from suppliers like Sysco.

It is a fast growing and high-margin segment that will likely mean thousands of restaurants will rely increasingly on Sysco for day-to-day needs.

Restaurant Depot shareholders will receive $21.6 billion in cash and 91.5 million Sysco shares. Based on Sysco’s closing share price of $81.80 as of March 27, 2026, the deal has an enterprise value of about $29.1 billion.

Restaurant Depot was founded in Brooklyn in 1976. The family run business then known as Jetro Restaurant Depot, has become the nation's largest cash-and-carry wholesaler.

The boards of both companies have approved the acquisition, but it would still need regulatory approval.

Shares of Sysco Corp. tumbled 13% Monday to $71.26, an initial decline some industry analysts expected given the cost of the deal.

FILE - Specialist John McNierney works at the post that handles Sysco, on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, June 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, file)