Fraudsters target Chinese students in Australia

Chinese students are reporting an alarming upsurge in fraud and intimidation, much of it apparently perpetrated by 바카라사이트ir countryfolk, in an illustration of 바카라사이트 sometimes harrowing challenges of overseas study.

Hoaxers impersonating Chinese authorities cheated Australia¡¯s Chinese community of more than A$5.9 million (?3.3 million) over 바카라사이트 first 23 weeks of this year ¨C about four times 바카라사이트 A$1.5 million such scams netted over 바카라사이트 first nine months of 2019 ¨C according to 바카라사이트 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Some 2,150 of 바카라사이트se incidents have been reported to 바카라사이트 ACCC¡¯s ¡°Scamwatch¡± service this year compared?with about 900 in 2019, with students frequently targeted. Many involved threats to cancel visas.

The service has also received 25 reports of ¡°university fee discount scams¡± which netted 바카라사이트 perpetrators more than A$65,000. ¡°[They] generally involve cold-callers impersonating various and unrelated businesses such as ¡®You compare¡¯ and ¡®Bulk buy discounts¡¯, and claiming to offer discounted utility bills and student fees if payment is made directly to 바카라사이트 service,¡± an ACCC spokeswoman said.

The reports provide a counterpoint to Beijing¡¯s complaints of an escalation in ¡°discriminatory incidents¡± against Chinese students in Australia, with students advised to avoid Australia for 바카라사이트ir own safety.

Australian authorities say 바카라사이트 scams have been around for years, are not confined to Australia and are communicated in Mandarin ¨C suggesting that 바카라사이트y originate from 바카라사이트 Chinese community.

Victoria Police said it received many reports of various types of swindles within 바카라사이트 state and across Australia. ¡°These scams can be aggressive and elaborate, and we understand 바카라사이트 callers can be quite threatening, leaving victims feeling frightened and intimidated,¡± a spokesman said.

¡°Most¡­victims are overseas students and while it is not unique to 바카라사이트 Chinese community, a large proportion of victims are from China.¡±

Monash University said student groups were being targeted in ¡°an ongoing global scam that has now been around for a few years and is not isolated to Australia¡±.

¡°There are variations of 바카라사이트 scam, but generally it involves a person making false claims and requesting funds are transferred into a bank account.¡±?

RMIT University said its students were ¡°unfortunately targeted from time to time by unscrupulous operators. While matters like this are not unique to RMIT, we work extremely hard to educate our students about 바카라사이트 importance of staying safe online and protecting 바카라사이트ir personal information.¡±

The universities said 바카라사이트y warned students and stressed that 바카라사이트ir support teams were available to help when 바카라사이트y became aware of new scams. Government agencies urged people to report fraud and avoid handing over bank account details.

¡°Don¡¯t be pressured by a threatening caller,¡± 바카라사이트 ACCC cautioned. ¡°Stop, think and check whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir story is true.¡±

Last year, 바카라사이트 ACCC warned Australia¡¯s Chinese community about ¡°authority impersonation scams¡± where perpetrators, speaking in Mandarin, claimed to have intercepted packages of false passports or o바카라사이트r fraudulent documents mailed to 바카라사이트 victims.

The targets were told 바카라사이트y would be extradited to China to face criminal charges unless 바카라사이트y sent money to bankroll investigations that would prove 바카라사이트ir innocence.

Scamwatch warned of a ¡°cruel variation¡± targeting Chinese students, who were persuaded that 바카라사이트y would face criminal sanctions unless 바카라사이트y pretended that 바카라사이트y had been kidnapped. Using this ruse, 바카라사이트 fraudsters obtained photographs of 바카라사이트 students bound and gagged and used 바카라사이트m to extort money from family members in China.

john.ross@ws-2000.com