International students continue to be targeted in ‘virtual kidnapping’ and extortion schemes, a Vancouver Police Department (VPD) media release warns. The schemes have primarily targeted young women from Mainland China studying on a student visa.
According to the release, two students were targeted separately over the weekend.
The scheme involves phone calls to students — sometimes claiming to be from the Chinese Consulate — saying that there is an arrest warrant for them in China, or that they are needed for an investigation.
The victims are then convinced to make fake videos showing that they were kidnapped or were victim to another crime while also being instructed to hide from Canadian police. The videos are then used to extort the victims’ families for money.
“We want to remind all foreign students that the Chinese police will not arrest you in Canada, or ask you to take photos or videos of yourselves pretending to be the victim of crime,” said Sergeant Jason Robillard in the VPD media release.
“Legitimate contact from the Chinese authorities will be through your local police. We are here to help you. If you are confused or scared, reach out to your local police department in Canada.”
This is not a new scheme. While these cases are the first two incidents recorded in 2018, there were 20 similar reports in 2017. The Lower Mainland RCMP also issued a warning in July 2017 when there were only six recorded incidents.
Reports about the scheme have also been made in other cities in Canada like Toronto. However, the VPD does not believe that the suspects are located in Canada.
So far, the VPD has not released information to indicate whether any of the incidents in BC are related to UBC students, as investigations are still ongoing.
But Rob McCloy, executive director of Campus Safety and Security, said that the team is still working with the VPD to put out information on both Campus Security and UBC’s social media channels. UBC tweeted about the VPD’s media release on May 9, and Campus Security has sent out a campus alert about the warning — which also includes a translated version — the following day.
RT @ubcnews: #VPD is warning the public after two international students were targeted last week in “virtual kidnappings” - an elaborate extortion scheme https://t.co/o87UZOhevH
— UBC (@UBC) May 9, 2018
The VPD’s Major Crime Section is still investigating all the reported incidents with support from “Chinese officials and other police agencies.”
The VPD urges anyone with information about these crimes to call the Major Crime Section at 604-717-3679 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
This article has been updated to include UBC’s tweet and Campus Security’s broadcast email of the VPD’s warning.
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