A recent Nanjing graduate who was studying in the UK when she was almost swindled out of £30,000 via a virtual scam is another number in what is adding up to be a long list of internationally targeted Chinese students.
Not only are students caught in straight-up scams but the concept of virtual kidnapping is also spreading the world fast. These young people are being targeted and tricked into handing over money or going along with kidnapping scams perpetrated by their own countrymates, based in mainland China and Taiwan.
On 14 May, 2018 the Australian Federal Police issued a warning about a “new international scam targeting Chinese students in Australia”.
The Conversation describes a typical scenario, “students are contacted by someone pretending to be from the Chinese Embassy or Consulate telling them that they have been implicated in a serious crime [in either Chinese territory], and asking them to collaborate with investigations.
“The target is told to hide themselves for a few days and cut off all contact, including with family members in China or Taiwan. The families then receive calls telling them their child studying in Australia has been kidnapped, and a ransom demand is made.”
The person behind our Nanjing graduate’s virtual scam posed as Embassy staff and successfully convinced the girl she was suspected of illegal money laundering.
On 22 July, 2018 the student withdrew £30,000 from her Bank of China account that was “to be used for tuition and living expenses”. Fortunately, British police were able to carry out a remittance freeze and the money was recovered, reports Shanghai publication The Paper.
So as to gain her trust, the fraudster created a fake Beijing Public Security Bureau profile, in order to create the virtual scam. Over QQ (Chinese messaging APP) he sent her a fake criminal detention arrest warrant and an asset freeze control order. In addition, he told her she was restricted from leaving the country.
The girl’s mother cannot understand how her daughter’s personal information was leaked, saying to The Paper, “At this time my daughter has completely believed [everything], and is very scared. The liar gave her a bank account, told her to quickly transfer the money in the bank card, and she did it”.
The Chinese Embassy in London continues to issue notices to guard against being cheated.
