Hong Kong Customs today (December 24) arrested a female director cum salesperson of a beauty parlour suspected of engaging in unfair trade practices involving a misleading omission in the sale of beauty services, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
Customs earlier received information alleging that a staff member of a beauty parlour in Tsuen Wan, in the course of selling a beauty service, had failed to provide the material information to consumers that the location where the relevant services were to be supplied would stop operating in the near future.
After investigation, Customs officers today arrested a 37-year-old female director cum salesperson.
Investigation is ongoing. The arrested woman has been released on bail pending further investigation.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure services at reputable shops.
Under the TDO, any trader who engages in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely, and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, December 24, 2019