A 'virtual kidnapping' extortion racket targeting Chinese international students in Australia has left authorities concerned. According to ABC News, there have been four cases across the state in the past month, with those targeted, ranging in age from 17 to 23.
So far, the scammers have extorted more than $750,000 in total, with victims receiving threats unless they pay between $175,000 and $250,000, News.com.au reported.
The scam involves young Chinese students getting a phone call from scammers claiming to be a representative from a Chinese authority, such as the Chinese embassy, consulate or police. They usually speak in Mandarin. The scammers then warn the students that they have been implicated in a crime and need to pay huge sums of money to avoid deportation or being placed under arrest.
If they are not able to pay up, they are then forced into faking their own kidnapping. The pictures are then sent to their families and are used to demand a ransom for their safe release.
In one such case, a 17-year-old boy was told by someone posing as a postal service worker that he had contraband goods in a package under his name that had been sent to Chinese police for investigation. He was told to pay $20,000 to prove his innocence and instructed to stage a kidnapping to extort money from his family to pay a fake debt.
"It is disgraceful there are scammers out there preying on international students who have come to Australia to study; most of whom are living in a new country and far away from loved ones for the first time in their lives," Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi said.
''When they've extorted all the money they can from these victims, it then escalates where they trick and coerce the victim into faking their own kidnapping and taking photographs of themselves in vulnerable positions. Unfortunately, on all the cases we've seen, the victims legitimately believe they are speaking to Chinese officials and that the threats will occur if they don't comply,'' Mr Doueihi added.
The detective also urged victims to come forward but acknowledged many may feel traumatised or embarrassed. Victims not only experienced huge psychological stress, with some even being hospitalised due to the trauma they experienced. He advised anyone who receives such a call to hang up and report the scam to authorities.
Meanwhile, Chinese representatives also have made assurances that no official or law enforcement officer would ever contact a Chinese student and demand money from them or their families.
