In the current landscape, transnational fraud and money laundering cases are on the rise. At a recent event held at the Los Angeles Overseas Compatriot Center, Yang Lijing, the police secretary of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, shared the latest cases to remind international students and new immigrants to remain vigilant and avoid becoming victims of new types of fraud.
Over the years, transnational fraud activities have become increasingly rampant, with evolving methods. Fraudsters exploit the social phenomenon of Chinese nationals being deceived or involved in cases in the United States to design more complex and “immersive” fraud scenarios. These scenarios often aim to psychologically manipulate victims, leading them deeper into fear and ultimately transferring large sums of money to fraud syndicates.
During the 33rd “Joint Presidents’ Meeting of the Chinese Student Associations in the Southwest United States” on September 27th (Saturday), Yang Lijing shared an unbelievable case of a Taiwanese student with representatives from Hawaii, Arizona, and Southern California.
This female student received a call from a fraud syndicate during her green card application process, claiming that she was involved in a transnational money laundering case. The fraudsters accurately targeted the student’s fear of “no criminal record during green card application,” meticulously manipulating her mentally.
Using AI face-swapping video technology, the fraudsters impersonated international law enforcement and Chinese public security, requesting the victim to sign a “confidentiality agreement.” To prove her innocence, the student had to borrow money from family and friends, transferring a whopping $330,000 to the criminals. Due to the demand not to disclose the matter to anyone, she was forced to keep FaceTiming 24/7, completely under surveillance. It wasn’t until her funds were exhausted that the student realized she had been duped.
Yang Lijing emphasized, “It may sound unbelievable, but fraudsters capitalize on people’s fears, using complete scripts and role-playing to completely immerse individuals in illusions.” She warned that many victims only realize they have been deceived when they hit rock bottom.
To help the public identify fraud, Yang Lijing emphasized several important principles: legitimate law enforcement agencies will never require individuals to sign a “confidentiality agreement”; government agencies or law enforcement will not solicit personal information over the phone or email, let alone ask for funds to be transferred to a so-called “secure account.”
If keywords like “extradition,” “international law enforcement,” or “confidential agreement” are mentioned on a call or message, it’s almost certain to be a scam.
Yang Lijing also exposed the scare tactics commonly used by fraud syndicates. She explained that multinational law enforcement procedures are extremely complex, and extraditing individuals from the US to China takes at least two years, rendering the fraudsters’ claims of “immediate arrest” impossible. These “movie-style plots” are just means for fraudsters to generate fear and intimidate victims.
Yang Lijing concluded by urging all overseas compatriots and international students to remain vigilant. She reminded the public that if encountering suspicious situations, they should immediately report to local law enforcement or the FBI and seek confirmation from family and friends, refraining from easily trusting the other party’s rhetoric. In her closing statement, she emphasized, “Do not underestimate the professionalism of fraudsters; only by maintaining vigilance and composure can one avoid becoming the next victim.”