HKMA and PCPD strengthen collaboration to combat fraud and safeguard personal data
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) jointly announced today (January 27) a series of new measures to enhance collaboration in combatting fraud and strengthening the protection against misuse of personal data.
In view of the increasing sophistication of fraud, the HKMA and the PCPD have strengthened their co-operation to ensure that banks' systems and safeguards against these risks are robust, and that best practices are shared with banks on a timely basis. These efforts will include joint risk-based examinations of selected banks' anti-fraud systems and controls, in which the HKMA will focus on assessing the effective implementation of anti-fraud measures set out in circulars issued in December 2024 and April 2025, whilst the PCPD will review the banks' data security measures and access controls that are designed to safeguard personal data against misuse and leakage.
Moreover, the HKMA and the PCPD will strengthen joint publicity and educational efforts, and work closely with other key stakeholders including the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), The Hong Kong Association of Banks and the industry, to raise public awareness of the latest scam tactics and the importance of protecting personal data, including bank account information. These efforts will include outreach activities targeting members of the public and specific segments of society.
Given the evolving nature of deception tactics, it is essential for the public to remain vigilant when providing personal data, including bank account information and login credentials, to prevent such data from being misused for deception or money laundering. Members of the public are also encouraged to stay informed about the latest fraud prevention information published by the HKMA, the PCPD and the HKPF.
The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Eddie Yue,said, "Anti-fraud work has been a priority for the HKMA as it helps to uphold public confidence in the financial system of Hong Kong. The collaboration with the PCPD marks a significant milestone in enhancing the ecosystem approach in the fight against the abuse of our banking system for fraudulent purposes."
The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Ms Ada Chung,said, "In light of the substantial volume of personal data handled by banks on a daily basis, it is imperative for the banking industry to adopt stringent data security and monitoring measures to prevent unauthorised or accidental access or misuse of customers' personal data. We are very pleased to collaborate with the HKMA in cultivating a culture of fraud prevention and personal data privacy protection across the financial sector."
Background
Fraud continues to grow in scale and complexity. During the first 10 months of 2025, a total of 35 831 deception cases were reported in Hong Kong, resulting in total losses amounting to $6.4 billion. To keep pace with the evolving nature of fraud, the HKMA has continued to strengthen the banking industry's response to fraud and money laundering, with a number of measures introduced in April last year. These include expanded use of Scameter data, amendment of the Banking Ordinance to facilitate information sharing among banks, sharing of good anti-fraud practices with banks, thematic reviews on the effectiveness of banks' anti-fraud measures, and enhanced publicity and education efforts on "Don’t Lend/Sell Your Account". To further enhance the ecosystem approach, the HKMA is collaborating with the PCPD to combat fraud, and to strengthen the protection against misuse of personal data.
The protection of personal data privacy has always been one of the critical priorities in combatting fraud, as deception and financial crimes often involve malicious use of personal data. To address the evolving deceptive tactics employed by fraudsters, the PCPD continues to strengthen its efforts on public education and raising awareness against fraud. Apart from conducting anti-fraud talks for different stakeholders, the PCPD has published a new anti-fraud leaflet and poster with the theme "Too Good to be True" to enhance public awareness of fraud prevention and personal data protection. Both publications have been distributed to District Offices, community centres, elderly centres, banks and schools. Since 2022, the PCPD has set up the "Personal Data Fraud Prevention Hotline" (3423 6611) to handle public enquiries about fraud or suspected fraud cases from members of the public. The PCPD has also launched the webpage entitled "Anti-Fraud Tips", with a view to providing a one-stop information portal for members of the public.
HKMA and PCPD strengthen collaboration to combat fraud and safeguard personal data Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (May 21) released the fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in May, covering 12 survey areas, as follows:
District |
Survey Area |
May 2026 |
First Phase Gravidtrap Index |
First Phase Density Index |
Eastern |
Shau Kei Wan and Sai Wan Ho |
9.1% |
1.4 |
Islands |
Tung Chung |
2.0% |
1.0 |
Kowloon City |
Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan |
6.7% |
1.5 |
Tai Po |
Tai Po East |
2.2% |
2.0 |
Tai Po West |
15.5% |
1.0 |
Tuen Mun |
Tuen Mun South |
9.1% |
1.4 |
District |
Survey Area |
May 2026 |
Area Gravidtrap Index |
Area Density Index |
Central and Western |
Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui |
16.8% |
1.3 |
Eastern |
Chai Wan |
15.4% |
1.0 |
North Point and Quarry Bay |
18.9% |
1.4 |
Southern |
Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau |
20.8% |
1.7 |
Sha Tin |
Sha Tin Town Centre and Fo Tan |
18.3% |
1.4 |
Tsuen Wan |
Tsuen Wan Town |
6.9% |
2.3 |
The fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May includes First Phase Gravidtrap Indexes covering six survey areas and Area Gravidtrap Indexes covering six survey areas. Among which, six survey areas recorded gravidtrap indexes above 10 per cent, while Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau in Southern District recorded a gravidtrap index above 20 per cent. Meanwhile, the gravidtrap indexes of six survey areas, namely Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui in Central and Western District; North Point and Quarry Bay in Eastern District; Shau Kei Wan and Sai Wan Ho in Eastern District; Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau in Southern District; Tai Po East in Tai Po District; and Tuen Mun South in Tuen Mun District, have recorded a decrease as compared to the indexes recorded in the last survey period, reflecting the progress of relevant mosquito control work.
With reference to the data from the past few years, the gravidtrap indexes start to rise from April or May every year. The actual timing and extent of the rise are affected by factors like weather conditions and rainfall. The average temperature and rainfall recorded in April this year were higher than those in the same period last year, creating favourable conditions for mosquito growth and breeding. As a result, the rise in gravidtrap indexes occurred earlier this year. With the increase in rainfall in May, the gravidtrap indexes are expected to rise further.
For survey areas which recorded indexes exceeding 10 per cent, in accordance with the mechanism implemented by the FEHD in response to the chikungunya fever (CF) situation (i.e. strengthening mosquito control work in areas with a gravidtrap index between 10 per cent and 20 per cent, instead of 20 per cent or above under the original mechanism), the FEHD is collaborating with relevant departments and stakeholders to identify locations with high mosquito infestations and carry out intensive and targeted mosquito control measures. The FEHD has initiated two prosecutions against the relevant construction site contractors following the discovery of mosquito breeding at construction sites in Tai Po District and Southern District. Moreover, following the discovery of stagnant water or stagnant water containers in a park, a construction site, a private housing estate, a clinic and a private premises in Tai Po District, Central and Western District, as well as Southern District, the FEHD has issued five statutory notices to the responsible persons-in-charge, requiring the clearance of such items within a specified timeframe. The FEHD, the relevant departments and stakeholders are following up on the mosquito control work, and will also organise exhibitions, distribute leaflets and posters, and notify residential estates that have subscribed to the gravidtrap Rapid Alert System, advising property management agents and residents to stay vigilant and work together in taking mosquito prevention and elimination measures. In addition, the FEHD will strengthen the monitoring of the gravidtrap index in the areas to review the effectiveness of the mosquito control work.
Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:
tidy up their premises and check for any accumulation of water inside the premises;
remove all unnecessary water collections and eliminate the sources;
check household items (those placed in outdoor and open areas in particular), such as refuse containers, vases, air conditioner drip trays, and laundry racks to prevent stagnant water;
change water in flower vases and scrub their inner surfaces thoroughly, and remove water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week;
properly cover all containers that hold water to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water;
properly dispose of articles that can contain water, such as disposable meal boxes and empty cans; and
scrub drains and surface sewers with alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.
Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of CF transmission.
Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The gravidtrap and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department's webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
