Fake Chinese police officers recently managed to defraud three victims of more than $1 million, prompting York Regional Police, north of Toronto, to issue a warning on Monday.
In a news release, police said the scammers targeted members of the Greater Toronto Area's Chinese community by posing as police officers. They explain to their victims that their personal information has been compromised or that they have legal problems in China related to criminal activities such as money laundering or drug trafficking.
To solve their fabricated legal problems, victims are asked to pay large sums of money. If they refuse to pay, they face deportation or arrest.
These schemes allowed fraudsters to steal more than $1 million from three people.
To protect yourself from these scams, police have reiterated general advice such as: B. carefully verifying the identity of the person calling, even if this means contacting the organization they claim to represent, and avoiding sharing personal information or even being skeptical about threats.