Chinese authority scams fleece international students in Australia of $5m in five months | Scams

Acting like Chinese authorities, scammers are increasingly aiming for international students in Australia, threatening “serious problems” and 24 -hour surveillance and flying them more than $ 5 million in just five months.

Frauds claim that there are Chinese law enforcement officers who demand the transfer of personal information or money to them.

Some blame students of criminal injustice, such as buying fake passports or credit cards. It can be said that their identities are used to commit financial crimes to victims. In some cases, fraudsters say that Australian officials plan to arrest and deport the visa conditions because they are beaching the visa conditions.

This fraud has been worried about law enforcement officers for several years, but warned that they have become more threatening the anti -national center. The center is managed by the Australian Competition and the Consumer Commission.

Anti We see more cases that this fraud is talking about 24-hour surveillance, ”Anti -ket Center spokesman said. “Since March, only eight have been reported in May.”

In Don’t put pressure on a threatening seeker who wants you to prove that you are not interested in a crime.

“Close the phone and do not answer. Do not interact with the caller and do not follow the instructions.

In the first five months of 2025, approximately 680 Chinese authority fraud was reported to the Anti-Wet Center. In this period, 5.1 million dollars disappeared to fraudsters with 5.5% success. The average loss for the affected was $ 138,018.

According to the Australian government, the victims are mainly between the ages of 18 and 24. Ten larger students were among 37 people.

ACCC warned that Chinese students were targeted with “virtual kidnapping” fraud. In a case, a 18 -year -old student was attached by scammers who claimed to be Chinese police who insisted on staging and kidnapping in his apartment.

The woman sent a series of photographs and videos to her family through China’s social media application Wechat. The messages were followed by others who were allegedly from the Chinese authorities and told them to transfer money to their relatives.

“Never leave your camera open because someone has instructed you, an ACCC spokesman said an ACCC spokesman.

“If someone tells you that you have been investigated, talk to the local police in Australia with your university’s international student support organ or local Australia-China Community Support Service.”

In many cases, the scammers begin by calling a cold to someone who speaks Mandarin or leaving a message that insists on being recalled urgently. They then claim that money is needed wrong to prove the innocence of their goals.

Frauds are closely watched by state police forces, including Victoria, which civil servants claim to be part of the “worldwide extortion” strategy.

“Mandarin speaking community, especially targets students with Chinese history” He said a police spokesman. “Frauds are lying to the victims about who they are, and they blackmail to force their money.”

Anti -National SCAM center called on people not to provide money or personal information to anyone if there is any doubt about their identity information.

He warned that scammers often created a sense of urgency to prevent people from carefully evaluating their options.