The HK financial regulators often alert us to those fake websites. People may think the best way to verify the alleged website of a financial institution is to check with the relevant regulator's website. But can we fully trust on this channel?
Once a time I located this website from SFC's online public register: www.broking.hsbc.com You can figure out which financial group this website refers to. But when I clicked on this website, an error message was displayed!
Then I tried www.broking.hsbc.com.hk and this time I was routed to the homepage of "HSBC Broking Services (Asia) Limited". The website states that this company is incorporated in HKSAR and it provides brokerage and dealing services in equities, bonds, foreign exchange, futures and options, precious metals and derivatives to retail, corporate customers and financial intermediaries.
However, when I checked again with SFC's online public register, the company "HSBC Broking Services (Asia) Limited" was not found! Instead, I can only find another company of a similar name: "HSBC Broking Securities (Asia) Limited".
Who can tell me what's wrong?
God knows. Even the HSBC Chairman got no idea. LCs provided their website addresses to the SFC thousands years ago and they (SFC and LCs) do not bother to update the website addresses. Who cares? The SFC people are office workers like others. On the contrary, upon a fake website is identified, the HKMA pushes the victim bank to make the announcement etc. even it is not the bank's fault.
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