Captain Con

Hong Kongers have been warned to watch out for a con man posing as a restaurant captain.

In the Big Lychee, restaurants don't operate as they do in the West; people often perform several jobs, from serving to cleaning up, and bringing your bill. At busy times in dim sum restaurants, this is appreciated as people want to leave to get on with their day. Still, most restaurants will have senior staff members dressed differently from the general staff, a designation of rank, and it is they who most often handle payment.

The usual practice is to hail a captain to bring you the bill. After calculating the total he or she will return with an itemised list, which diners check and then pay. Most give cash, and if change is insufficient the captain heads back to the cashier to bring back the correct amount. If the diner presents a credit card, the captain leaves to process the payment, then returns so the receipt can be signed.

And here is where the swindler struck. Wearing a black suit and red tie (common garb for the position), he waited for peak time at large restaurants and then watched for people wanting to pay. He strolled over, took their credit card despite not presenting a bill, and then quietly walked out to go on a spending spree. The first time he bought gold ornaments, the next two times he bought iPhones.

He not only exploited weaknesses in restaurant operation and human impatience, he also took advantage of shop staff who didn't bother to match signatures on the credit card and receipt. Police believe the man must have been a former restaurant employee to pull off the con so smoothly, but the scam only works if you blindly hand over your credit card without waiting for the bill.

The way to protect yourself is obvious.

← Older Posts · 早前 | →