Mainland tourist claims rip-off by Hong Kong taxi driver

By Hoang Vu June 10, 2024 | 12:31 am PT

A taxi drives in front of skyscrapers at the central business district in Hong Kong, Aug. 17, 2021. Photo by Reuters

The Hong Kong police are investigating a complaint by a Chinese tourist that a taxi driver had charged him HK$600 (US$76.80) for 28 km, nearly thrice the usual fare.

On Friday he filed a report to the police along with a photo he took of the receipt and the taxi license plate, the South China Morning Post reported.

He had taken the taxi from Shenzhen Bay immigration control to the Hong Kong International Airport, which normally costs HK$228-$278.

But the driver demanded HK$600 and the distance was not shown on the receipt.

"I was furious and disappointed," the tourist wrote on his account on Xiaohongshu, widely consider the China's version of Instagram.

He was visiting Hong Kong for the three-day public holiday to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival but the scam ruined his trip, he claimed.

His post has attracted hundreds of comments with netizens recounting similar experiences of being ripped off by Hong Kong taxi drivers.

Taxi drivers found guilty of overcharging can be jailed for six months and fined HK$10,000.