Rising Concerns Over Fraudulent Medical Certificates for Early Pension Withdrawals
Hong Kong’s Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) is intensifying its efforts to identify and prevent the use of fraudulent medical certificates for early withdrawal of pension contributions. This comes after two medical groups reported suspected cases to the police in recent weeks, raising alarms about the misuse of doctors’ information.
The MPFA has acknowledged that its online platform recently flagged potential fraud involving fake medical certificates used to withdraw funds from the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF). According to a spokesman, the authority is deeply concerned about the illegal use of forged documents and is working closely with medical professional bodies to deter such activities.
Under Hong Kong law, employees may withdraw their pension before the age of 65 under specific circumstances, such as early retirement, permanent departure from Hong Kong, total incapacity for work, or a terminal illness with a life expectancy of less than a year. However, the recent reports have highlighted a growing problem of unauthorized use of doctors’ details in these applications.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed that two medical groups reported suspected cases to the police on May 9 and 10. They discovered that doctors’ information had been used without authorization in certificates supporting MPF withdrawals based on permanent incapacity. The case was classified as “usage of false instruments” and handed over to the criminal investigation squad of the Central police district for further action.
While no arrests have been made so far, the scale of the suspected fraud may involve more than a dozen doctors across the city. One local medical group reported that an employee fell victim to the fraud, while another doctor whose details were misused revealed that she knew of about seven other affected practitioners, with two others receiving multiple suspected fraudulent forms.
Oncologist Teresa Tse, who works in private practice, shared her experience after receiving a letter from the eMPF platform asking her to verify her signature and clinic chop on a redacted application for early withdrawal due to terminal illness. She was shocked to find her name and clinic address written in neat but unfamiliar handwriting, along with a signature and a round chop that did not resemble hers. The form was dated March 9.
Tse noted that private doctors typically include their education and specialty on their chops, which was not the case here. “This one was really fake, like a round chop for receipts. It has ‘Dr Teresa Tse’ and my Chinese name written on it,” she said.
Her colleague had received three redacted forms from the eMPF platform for verification, all of which appeared to be fraudulent. After discussing the issue in a doctors’ messaging group, Tse found at least six others—包括 oncologists, internal medicine physicians, and orthopaedic specialists—who had received similar verification requests and discovered their professional details had been misused.
Surgeon Samuel Kwok Po-yin, a director with Virtus Medical, told the SCMP that six doctors linked to his group had been affected. Their details had been misappropriated on applications for early MPF withdrawals based on permanent incapacity. The group reported the matter to the police.
Kwok explained that the issue came to light after the MPFA contacted doctors to verify their signatures and chops. Those affected included gastroenterologists, nephrologists, and respiratory medicine specialists. He urged the MPFA to review its withdrawal procedures and strengthen security measures.
He warned that such cases could affect a doctor’s license if a complaint led to an investigation by the Medical Council. Kwok suggested the authority review whether a signature alone was sufficient for verification and establish direct checks with practitioners.
Tse noted that the letter was the first time she had received a verification request from the eMPF platform. She added that other medical certificates, such as those for insurance claims, typically required detailed information on a patient’s condition and treatment.
Lawyer Eric Chan Pak-ho suggested that the MPFA could invoke a crime detection exemption under Hong Kong’s privacy law to request relevant information and evidence from doctors regarding suspected fake certificates. In addition to investigations, the authority could require more detailed information on application forms.
“[The] MPFA can request the doctors to provide more elaborated medical reports setting out the medical conditions in detail, and the contemporaneous medical notes typed up or jotted down by the doctors during the medical consultation,” Chan said.
Under Hong Kong law, the maximum penalty for forging or using false documents is 14 years’ imprisonment. As the situation unfolds, the focus remains on strengthening verification processes and ensuring the integrity of medical certifications used for pension withdrawals.
