Richmond, B.C., Mounties are alerting the local Chinese community about a phone scam that has recently defrauded several residents of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
According to a statement from the Richmond RCMP’s economic crime unit, the scam is a variation of the “foreign police scam,” where fraudsters impersonate overseas law enforcement officers and threaten victims with deportation unless they send money.
“Fraudsters will make slight changes to their tactics or approach in an attempt to lure in new victims,” Cpl. Denise Kam of the Richmond RCMP’s economic crime unit stated Monday.
In this latest version, scammers initially pose as employees of an Asian telecommunications company before transferring the victim to someone pretending to be a Chinese police officer. The fake officer claims the victim’s phone number is linked to a crime and demands payment to avoid arrest and deportation.
Since Dec. 24, 2024, five Richmond residents have reported falling victim to the scam, collectively losing over $400,000. According to RCMP data, Richmond residents lost more than $38 million to scammers last year.
Authorities urge the public to stay informed about common scams by visiting the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website.
Source: Swifteradio.com
