Vancouver police say three different types of scams have resulted in victims losing nearly $6 million since the beginning of the year.
Police are warning the Chinese community to be wary of three types of scams targeting the community as the Vancouver Police Department's financial crime detectives are investigating 26 files since Jan. 1, 2024, according to a release Friday (Aug. 9). Investigators believe there may be more people who have been victims of the scams.
In the first scam, a victim receives a call from a "spoofed" phone number from a person impersonating a Chinese police officer, claiming the victim is in trouble with authorities in China "because their phone or identity has been used to commit crimes." The victims are then convinced to send money to banks located in Hong Kong "to clear up the matter."
In the second scam, the elderly are targeted in a "blessing scam." The victims are approached by a group of strangers, "who tell them bad luck or ill health will happen to them or their loved ones unless they pay the suspect in cash or jewelry."
"The suspects prey on the victim’s spiritual beliefs and fear that bad things will happen to their loved ones. In some cases, the scammers will exchange jewelry and cash for a worthless gift," police said.
The third scam uses job advertisements on posters that are written in traditional Chinese, showing people can have a potential earning of $100 to $300 per day by making jewelry or artwork. Police say once the victim calls for more details about the job, it becomes a romance or investment scam.
“Vulnerable and unsuspecting people in our community are being tricked into sending thousands of dollars to people they’ve never met,” said Const. Tania Visintin
“By the time they realize they’ve been scammed, the fraudsters have disappeared and their money is gone.”
Anyone who believes they’ve been victimized by these scams is asked to call the VPD non-emergency line at 604-717-3321 to make a report.
