You could be sold for 10 cents

An investigation by Sing Tao Probe found that Hongkongers’ personal information is being sold online for just 10 HK cents per person.

Personal information from 5,000 citizens, including name, phone number, identity card number and address, was recently on sale in social media groups, for only HK$500.

The seller even promoted that “buyers will receive hundreds of photos of Police Tactical Unit officers as a giveaway”.

An undercover reporter contacted a seller of the leaked information who ran away after finding out the reporter’s identity. But the information listed on a document left by the seller was found to be real.

One of the victims, Chan, said she began to receive calls claiming that she borrowed money.

”I later received a letter, correctly writing my name, ID number and address,” Chan said.

The police are investigating and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said disclosing such data without consent may constitute doxxing and those may face up penalty of HK$1 million and five years in prison.