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The scam originally targeted Chinese students studying in Victoria in 2017, but scammers have recently broadened the scope of their victims.
Victoria Police has issued an updated warning regarding a phone- and social media-based scam campaign that has been targeting the Mandarin-speaking student community since 2017.
However, police have recently observed the scammers broadening their victim base, with at least 20 per cent of victims being non-students.
“If you are contacted by anyone claiming to be a Chinese government official, do not comply with their demands and never transfer money or provide personal details to anyone who requests it over the phone unless you made the call yourself,” Detective Inspector Damien Jones, of the Financial Crime Squad, said in a 24 February statement.
Detective Inspector Jones said anyone concerned they were being targeted should discuss the matter with friends or contact the police.
“Victoria Police is urging the community to be vigilant and to have conversations with their friends and family so everyone is aware that this is a current and very common scam,” he said.
“Victoria Police is treating these offences as extremely serious, and we understand that overseas visitors or international students may not be familiar with the services available to them in Victoria.”
Victoria Police received almost 200 reports related to the scam in 2024, causing a total financial loss to victims in excess of $20 million. The scams claim to be either Chinese officials or law enforcement and could involve the interception of packages, threats of arrest, and requests to transfer money offshore in order to avoid prosecution.
In one case, a 41-year-old West Melbourne woman was told by a scammer pretending to be from a telco that a phone number in her name was implicated in a money laundering program, and a fake Chinese police officer subsequently told her that she was in danger of being returned to China for arrest. She was told to pay $57,000 into a Hong Kong bank account for legal fees ahead of an apparent trial.
“We urge all of you, do not be embarrassed to speak to police. In reporting these crimes to police, you are also helping us form intelligence to investigate, catch those responsible, and prevent this from happening to others in future,” Detective Inspector Jones said.
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
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