New Scam Targets Chinese Americans, Threatening Deportation and Arrest

Chinese Deportation Scam

A new scam has emerged targeting Chinese American immigrants, particularly older individuals who may be more vulnerable to intimidation tactics. The scammers, speaking in Mandarin, claim to be representatives of the Chinese government and allege that the victim’s identity has been used in a crime, resulting in an arrest warrant issued in China.

The scammers threaten the victims with deportation back to China if they do not comply with their demands, which include providing sensitive information such as passport numbers, Apple ID and password, and details about their bank accounts and balances. The scammers also instruct the victims not to tell anyone about the call, likely to prevent them from seeking help or advice from family members or authorities.

One recent case involved an elderly Chinese American couple who have been living in the United States for 30 years. Their adult child discovered the scam three days after the initial contact and took immediate action by changing all passwords and planning to freeze their parents’ credit.

My older parents were just the victims of a new scam targeting Chinese Americans. They were called by someone speaking Mandarin who said they were from the Chinese government and someone used their identity and there was an arrest warrant for them in China. We are from China but have lived in the USA for 30 years. Amongst other things, they were told they would be deported back to China if they did not provide their passport numbers and Apple ID and Password and list the places that they currently have bank accounts and how much money. They did not give bank account numbers. They were told not to tell anyone they had been contacted, so I am learning about this 3 days later. I changed all passwords and am going to freeze their credit, but what else should I be doing?

Key Takeaways

  1. Be cautious of unsolicited calls claiming to be from government agencies, especially those threatening arrest or deportation.
  2. Never provide sensitive personal information, such as passport numbers, login credentials, or bank account details, over the phone.
  3. Always verify the legitimacy of the caller by contacting the agency directly using official contact information.
  4. Regularly monitor your financial accounts and credit reports for any unusual activity.
  5. If you believe you have fallen victim to a scam, change all passwords, freeze your credit, and report the incident to the appropriate authorities, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or local law enforcement.
  6. Ensure that elderly family members are aware of common scams and know not to share personal information over the phone.

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest scam alerts, practical security tips, real-life scam examples, and expert advice to keep you one step ahead of online threats.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.


Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Skip to content