Chinese speakers in Australia have fallen victim to a sophisticated scam that has lost them thousands of dollars.
The victims have paid more than $9million to the strategic global scam, with Chinese international students often taking the hit.
In a desperate ploy to save themselves, victims have been persuaded by the scammers to fake their own kidnapping.
Many victims in Australia are Chinese international students. Police reported that some were guided by the scammers to trick their parents into providing more money by pretending they’d been kidnapped (pictured)
Scammers have been calling people globally, speaking in Mandarin and tricking Chinese-speaking listeners through fear tactics into transferring money
The images, released by Victoria police, show staged kidnapping scenes where victims are gagged and bound.
The victims send the kidnapping pictures to their parents in the hope they’ll receive ‘ransom’ money.
The ‘ransom’ money from their fake kidnappings is transferred to the scammers as the elaborate scheme forces victims to instill trust into people they believe to be official and legitimate.
One international student, who is not named for anonymity purposes, told SBS Viceland’s The Feed that she lost almost $500,000 to the phone hack scam.
Just like many Australians, she received a call from a woman speaking in Mandarin. As she understood what was being said, she continued to listen and was pulled into the trap.
The unidentified woman was initially informed that she was receiving a parcel from DHL before being transferred to an implied prominent police officer.
The officer sparked fear as he claimed that she would be locked up for her connection to transnational financial crime involving a notorious criminal.
The frightening scam became increasingly believable when she was sent a warrant with her picture on it.
The scammers rely on the fear of their victims. The officers tell the victims to stay silent and pay money to help protect their innocence.
‘Every time they made me send money, there was a reason. At the start I wouldn’t understand. They would explain it, and I would pretty much understand. But not everything. I just trusted them, so I did what they said,’ the female victim said.
Expedited investigation fees cost $4,000, while $90,000 went to a security bond and a whopping $250,000 was justified for a civil liability case, SBS reported.
The unidentified female victim continued to provide the scammers with money, unaware that the prominent police officers were illegitimate and tricking her.
Victoria police released the fabricated images that some victims used to trick their parents (pictured). The victims were scared as they were told to keep quiet by the scammers
‘I was worried and very scared. He said this case is a classified case, so I can’t tell anyone about it,’ she said.
Over a ten-day period the female victim’s money was sucked dry as she transferred nearly $500,000 to the scammers.
The officers claimed that allegations against the victim grew, pressuring her to provide more money. She was trained to trick her parents for more money and disappeared off the radar.
In response to the numerous calls and texts from her parents, she said: ‘I really wanted to answer the phone, but it was a kind of ‘mind control’. It was a psychological control. I didn’t dare answer them…I just grew more nervous and didn’t know what to do.’
She was eventually located by her worried parents through the ‘find my iPhone’ application and notified that she was a victim – not a criminal.
In May, Daily Mail Australia reported about police reports of the scam in New South Wales.
The victim who lost almost $500,000 to the phone trick said: ‘I was worried and very scared. He said this case is a classified case, so I can’t tell anyone about it’
At the time, Financial Crimes Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Linda Howlett said police were aware of at least 50 scams across the state.
NSW police said that the calls typically start with a recorded message in English, before transferring to a person claiming to be from the Chinese Embassy or Consulate.
‘The caller purports to be a government official and the essence of the scam is to convince the victim they are in trouble, but they can pay their way out of it,’ Detective Superintendent Howlett said in a police statement.
‘The caller claims the victim has been implicated in a crime or their identity has been stolen, which could impact on their visa to stay in Australia or harm could come to their family back home.’
There have been no arrests made but police said they are working with the Chinese Embassy and the Chinese Consulate-General in their investigations.
No arrests have been made for the crimes but police are investigating with the Chinese Embassy and the Chinese Consulate-General