PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There’s a scam going around the Philadelphia region, and it targets international students.
It typically goes like this: A caller contacts a victim and informs them they are linked to a financial fraud investigation in China. The call comes from a number that appears to be associated with a mobile telephone service provider, a large retailer, a delivery service or the Chinese Embassy/Consulate.
The scammer then says they are transferring the call to a Chinese police officer, who then details the alleged crime and tells the victim they need to return to China for trial or face arrest.
They then direct the victim to consent to 24/7 video and audio monitoring due to the sensitivity of the investigation and to “demonstrate [their] innocence.”
Victims are instructed not to discuss the details of the case or conduct internet searches. The scammer then tells the victim to send a large sum of money to a Chinese bank account via wire or cryptocurrency to avoid returning to China.
"These scams leave real and lasting harm that extends far beyond a financial loss," said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI Philadelphia.
FBI Philadelphia released a recording of one victim recounting their experience. He said he had to transfer a lot of money to an overseas bank in Hong Kong, travel to another city, hide out for weeks under 24/7 monitoring, cut contact with everyone and hand over all electronic devices.
“It was so stressful and painful. I felt trapped and saw no escape from that situation,” he said. The FBI found him after his family reported him missing.
“I'm still working through the effects of everything I have been through, but I want to let all the Chinese students know and all of international students so it doesn't happen to them. If you get a phone call like this, just hang up and never be afraid to ask for help,” he said.
The FBI released a photo, seen above, of the person wanted in connection with the scheme. They say he allegedly participated in law enforcement impersonation "to defraud multiple Chinese nationals." He has black hair, brown eyes and speaks both English and Mandarin.
If you or someone you know receives one of these calls, report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center or your local FBI field office. The FBI also advises reporting the activity to the payment service provider used for the transaction to stop or reverse it.