A distressing incident has come to light as a student in Northern Ireland fell victim to a scam and lost a staggering £200,000. Two individuals posing as Chinese policemen exploited the student
by threatening her with arrest unless she complied with their demands.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has condemned this heinous act and cautioned the public, revealing that similar scams targeted students last year.
The victim, an international student from China, initially received a phone call alleging her involvement in money laundering. Subsequently, two men disguised as counterfeit "Beijing Police" officers initiated contact with her online.
The scam unfolded in recent weeks, and the perpetrators went to great lengths to present themselves as credible, according to the PSNI. Fearing repercussions, the woman adhered to their demands and transferred the money. Regrettably, she has not heard from the fraudsters since.
Detective Superintendent Richard Thornton remarked, "This is a really despicable, calculated crime," emphasizing the audacity of the criminals, who not only contacted the student online but also donned uniforms claiming to be 'Beijing Police' officers.
The PSNI disclosed that it received two similar reports last year involving "scammers who had targeted Chinese students studying in Belfast." These victims collectively lost £105,000 to fraudsters who deceitfully posed as representatives of the Chinese Embassy and Chinese police.
Detective Superintendent Thornton urged the public to adhere to five crucial rules when approached by strangers requesting personal information or money:
Always terminate the call immediately.
Delete texts soliciting personal information or bank account details.
Refrain from calling back the provided number.
Avoid clicking on links within texts or responding to unsolicited messages.
Never transfer money to another account under any circumstances.
"The reality is scammers will stop at nothing to trick you out of your money, for your loss and their gain. Being scam aware can make all the difference," he stressed. Photo by Ross, Wikimedia commons.