Social welfare for the elderly

Offences relating to cheating on public assistance

What sorts of offences are included in public assistance fraud and what is the penalty?

The provision of false information or omission of information to obtain CSSA by deception is a criminal offence. Apart from resulting in ineligibility for CSSA, applicants may be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a maximum of 14 years under the Theft Ordinance (Cap.210 of the Laws of Hong Kong).

Fraud Investigation Teams are responsible for detecting and investigating suspected social security fraud cases, and assessing and recovering overpayment of social security. Government organizations can provide data in their possession for these purposes. Checks and reviews on randomly selected cases are conducted to ensure compliance with the rules. For more information on the work of Fraud Investigation Teams, visit the Social Welfare Department website.