Hamilton police warn of international student scam

Hamilton police are warning the public about a scam targeting international students after a Chinese national studying in Canada was swindled out of significant amounts of money.

Police said in a release Thursday their investigation was launched April 29 after an international student at McMaster University faked their own abduction at the behest of a fraudster.

The fraudster, posing as a Chinese embassy official in Ottawa, phoned the victim in early February to warn them that their identify had been compromised, police said. The victim was told to call police in Shanghai because someone using their name had committed a serious crime.

Another fraudster, posing as a high-ranking police official, then told the victim they could face lengthy prison time if their name was not cleared and significant amounts of money were not transferred.

Police said the victim was sworn to secrecy and told his money would be returned in full upon completion of the investigation" in Shanghai.

By late April, with funds running low, fraudsters directed the victim to fake their own kidnapping in order to ask for ransom money," police said.

The victim sent a video to their parents who, believing that their child had been kidnapped, also transferred a significant amount of money to the fraudster," police said.

The international student had last been seen around 4 p.m. on April 28. They were found the next day, unharmed and in good health, at an address in Peterborough.

Police said investigators in China have been contacted and the money transferred by the victim's parents has been secured.

It's not the first time scams targeting international students have been reported in Hamilton.

In 2017, two Chinese nationals studying in the city were told not to use their cellphones or contact their families after fraudsters alleged their banking information had been compromised. The scammers then contacted the students' families, telling them their children had been kidnapped and demanding a large ransom. They were found by police within hours of their families reporting they could not be reached.

Police said the circumstances of the recent scam are being shared to warn other potential victims.

Police are advising international students to:

• Be suspicious of callers that demand money or immediate actions;

• Know that no law enforcement will demand payment in order to conduct an investigation;

• Never offer information to suspicious callers;

• Remember to never send money to someone under uncertain conditions;

• and don't be afraid to say, No."

Anyone who believes to have fallen victim to such a scam is asked to contact police at 905-546-4925.

Sebastian Bron is a reporter at The Spectator. sbron@thespec.com