A 47-year-old female proprietor of an online retailer was convicted and sentenced to four months' imprisonment and was ordered to pay approximately $160,000 in compensation to five victims at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (September 18), for engaging in wrongly accepting payments in the course of business, in violation of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO). The sentence fully reflects the severity of the offence and carries a deterrent effect.

     Hong Kong Customs earlier received a number of reports from members of the public stating that the retailer involved had advertised supermarket vouchers with a face value of $50 for pre-sale at low prices through its online shop and social media platforms. After receiving full deposits, the trader promised to deliver the goods within two to three months. However, after accepting payments, the retailer failed to deliver the goods and did not arrange any refunds. The case involved a total of 4 380 supermarket vouchers with an aggregate amount of approximately $170,000, with the largest individual case amounting to around $70,000.

     Customs welcomed the ruling and emphasised that it will continue to strictly crack down on unfair trade practices to protect consumer rights. Meanwhile, traders are reminded to comply with the provisions of the TDO. It is an offence if a trader, at the time of accepting payment, intends not to supply the product, or if there are no reasonable grounds for believing they can supply the product within a specified or reasonable period. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Customs appeals to consumers to maintain vigilance before pre-ordering products with prices significantly lower than the market rate or making large-amount prepaid consumption, and to patronise reputable merchants. Members of the public may report any suspected violations to the Customs' 24-hour hotline at 182 8080, or via the dedicated crime reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Ends/Friday, September 18, 2026
Issued at HKT 19:05

NNNN