BELLEVUE, Wash. — Bellevue police investigators say they are seeing an increase in fraud and theft cases with an international twist.
Scammers claiming to be Chinese government or law enforcement officials are contacting victims and telling them that they’re in some sort of trouble that requires payment to avoid arrest or deportation.
The suspects may ask the victim to buy and electronically send gift cards, wire money, or withdraw cash.
Bellevue police said in one case, phone numbers were cloned from a local cell phone and the suspects sent the victim fraudulent credentials, which led the victim to believe the person who contacted them was a legitimate member of Chinese law enforcement.
Investigators said tens of thousands of dollars have been lost in such cases.
“Please do not reply or cooperate with anyone claiming to be an overseas official asking you for money. If you don’t know them, don’t trust them. Instead, call your local police department and they will check it out. It is better to take the time to verify than to be out thousands of dollars,” the Bellevue Police Department said in a blog post.