By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Helen Young's Ordeal
Helen Young still has nightmares about the two weeks she believed she was on China’s most wanted list. Scammers posing as Chinese police convinced the London based accountant that she was under investigation for a massive fraud in China. They presented her with fabricated evidence, implicating her in a crime she knew nothing about. When the fake police threatened her with extradition to a Chinese jail, Helen sent them her £29,000 life savings as "bail money," in a desperate attempt to stay in Britain. “I feel a bit stupid right now,” she says. “But there's no way I could have known it wasn't real. It was so convincing.”
A Convincing Deception
Helen’s story, though extraordinary, is not unique within the Chinese diaspora. China’s embassies and the FBI have issued warnings about police impersonation scams after numerous cases globally. One elderly woman in Los Angeles reportedly handed over $3 million, believing it would stop her extradition. These scams often start with an innocuous phone call; in Helen’s case, it was someone claiming to be a Chinese customs officer who alleged they had stopped an illegal parcel sent in her name. Though Helen hadn’t sent anything, she was told to file a police report if she believed her identity had been stolen. Despite her skepticism, she stayed on the line.
Manipulation and Intimidation
Helen was transferred to a man who identified himself as "Officer Fang," a policeman in Shenzhen. To prove his legitimacy, he suggested a video call, where Helen saw a uniformed man matching the police ID he showed. Officer Fang gave her a virtual tour of what appeared to be a police station, complete with uniformed officers and a police logo. This convincing act dispelled all Helen's suspicions. The scammers escalated their scheme by presenting her with a fabricated bank statement and warning her of severe consequences if she disclosed the investigation to anyone.
Escalating Threats
Helen’s ordeal intensified when Officer Fang informed her she was suspected of involvement in a large financial fraud. Despite her protests of innocence, she was shown a video of a masked prisoner confessing and naming her as his boss. Convinced she was in deep trouble, Helen believed Officer Fang’s threat of extradition. She was told to transfer her £29,000 life savings to halt her extradition. Helen felt terrible, as she had promised her daughter money for her first flat. Yet, the scammers returned demanding another £250,000, leading Helen to a desperate attempt to borrow the money.
The Turning Point
Helen’s friend, whom she approached for the loan, alerted her daughter. Helen broke down and revealed everything to her daughter, but only after ensuring the scammers couldn’t listen in. Her daughter explained it was a scam, and Helen’s bank eventually refunded her money. The two week ordeal left Helen sleep deprived and deeply shaken, causing her to crash her car twice. “These types of criminal scams could kill people,” she says. Her experience highlights the severe psychological impact of such scams.
Broader Implications
Police impersonation scams have pushed victims to extreme measures. In some cases, Chinese foreign students unable to meet the financial demands of the scammers have faked their own kidnappings to seek ransom from their families. Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi of New South Wales Police described victims being coerced into making videos that appear as if they’ve been kidnapped, complete with fake injuries. Scammers manipulate these victims into helping with further scams. Many of these frauds are believed to be run by Chinese organized crime groups operating in Southeast Asia. Awareness is growing, with victims sharing their experiences to warn others. A student in Japan, targeted by similar criminals, recorded their conversation and refused to hand over money, ultimately avoiding the scam.
