News Report

(Zhang Zhou) According to the WeChat official account of the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, the embassy has recently handled two cases of 'virtual kidnapping' telecom fraud involving Chinese students. Although the victims have all been located, their families have suffered varying degrees of property losses.

Fraudsters usually exploit the victims' fear of trouble. Posing as local law enforcement officers, they steal the victims’ personal information. Afterwards, they transfer the call to a fake 'domestic judicial authority' and send forged 'arrest warrants', 'wanted notices', 'court summons' and other documents. They trick victims into downloading social media apps for one-on-one communication. During the scam, the fraudsters order victims to cut off contact with the outside world on the pretext of 'assisting in investigations', rent accommodation alone, or even hide in a third country. Victims are forced to record videos showing fake 'assaults'. The scammers then send these videos to the victims’ parents and demand a huge ransom.

The Chinese Embassy in Singapore reminds Chinese citizens in Singapore to raise awareness of fraud prevention and self-protection, and stay vigilant against all types of telecom fraud including 'virtual kidnapping'. If you receive suspicious scam calls or emails, especially overseas numbers starting with '+', follow three principles: stay calm, do not trust the caller, and never transfer money. Report to the police immediately or verify the information by calling the consular protection hotline of the Chinese Embassy in Singapore.