Chinese international students in Australia are being targetted in 'virtual kidnappings' netting scammers millions of dollars.
New South Wales Police reported at least eight incidents so far this year, with scammers successfully obtaining NZ$3.4 million.
"Investigators have been told that initial contact is made through a phone call from someone usually speaking in Mandarin and claiming to be a representative from a Chinese authority, such as the Chinese Embassy, Consulate or Police," a police spokesperson said.
"The caller then convinces the victim they have been implicated in a crime in China, or that their identity has been stolen, and that they must pay a fee to avoid legal action, arrest or deportation."
The victims are threatened or coerced into transferring large amounts of money into off-shore bank accounts, or convinced to fake their own kidnappings.
"Scammers instruct victims to cease contact with their family and friends, rent a hotel room and take photographs or video recordings that depict them bound and blindfolded. These files are then shared with the victim's relatives overseas.
"When the victim's parents are unable to establish contact with their child in Australia, they send large ransom payments in exchange for their 'release'."
Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett said they are working with the Chinese Embassy and Chinese Consulate in Sydney to warn residents.
"This year alone, NSW Police are aware of eight instances of virtual kidnappings where ransom payments that range between AU$20,000 to AU$500,000 and in one case AU$2 million have been paid," he said.
"While we are working with our law enforcement colleagues to investigate the origins of these scams, we are urging the community to heed our warnings not to respond to the caller's demands."
One of the 'virtual kidnappings' occurred on July 14 when NSW Police received a report a 21-year-old woman had been kidnapped in Sydney.
"The woman's housemate contacted police after her parents were sent a video of her pleading for help at an unknown location and were unable to contact her," police said.
"Following inquiries, officers located the woman safe and well at a hotel at Pyrmont about 10pm the same day. Police were told that AU$100,000 had been paid by the woman into an offshore bank account."
Other incidents occurred on June 17, May 30 and April 22.
In 2019, 1172 reports of 'Chinese authority' scams were recorded across Australia by Scamwatch with a total loss in excess of $2 million.
