BC Victim Loses $1.5 Million to Fraudsters Posing as Chinese Police Officers: RCMP

The RCMP logo is seen outside the force's 'E' division headquarters in Surrey, B.C., on March 16, 2023. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

The RCMP has issued a public warning about fraud targeting the Asian community in British Columbia, where scammers posing as Chinese police officers falsely informed a victim of a pending arrest warrant in Hong Kong.

In a July 24 statement, Richmond RCMP reported receiving a complaint 10 days earlier about suspects impersonating Chinese police officers. The sole victim reported sending the fraudsters over $1.5 million.

“These fraudsters are highly convincing and use various tactics to induce fear, making the victim feel compelled to comply with their demands,” said Sergeant Dave Au of the force’s organized crime unit. “While we are committed to thoroughly investigating these frauds, community awareness is crucial in preventing future incidents.”

China’s long-arm policing and transnational repression, including issuing arrest warrants for pro-democracy activists living abroad, has drawn increasing international concern in recent years.

In July 2023, Hong Kong police took the unprecedented step of issuing arrest warrants for eight pro-democracy activists residing in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. A reward of HK$1 million (roughly CA$177,000) was offered for information on each individual.

Hong Kong police issued additional arrest warrants for five other pro-democracy activists in December 2023.

These self-exiled activists were accused of offences under Hong Kong’s national security law, such as “incitement to secession,” “subversion,” “incitement to subversion,” and “collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security,” according to the press releases issued by Hong Kong’s National Security Department.

Spain-based NGO Safeguard Defenders published the report “110 Overseas: Chinese Transnational Policing Gone Wild” in September 2023. The report detailed cases where the Chinese regime employed coercive tactics to compel the return of some of the Chinese diaspora, including political dissidents, back to the country. The report was also the first to bring forward evidence pointing to the CCP’s use of overseas police service stations in these operations on five continents.

When asked if there are concerns about fraudsters potentially exploiting fear of China’s transnational repression and long-arm policing, Richmond RCMP Corporal Adriana O’Malley said fraudsters “employ a number of tactics, including fear, which makes the victim feel compelled to comply with their demands.”

“The approach used by the suspects can vary, however, the common theme is identifying themselves as Chinese Police,” she told The Epoch Times in an email statement on July 25. She added that the force had previously received reports of suspects allegedly posing as Chinese police.

The RCMP said that while the fraud case in B.C. “targets the Asian community,” all residents should remain vigilant. The police force highlighted the importance of community cooperation, as fraudsters continually update their tactics and target various demographics.

“We need to spread the word and educate everyone we know on these trends and tactics,” Cpl. O’Malley said in the July 24 statement.

Other common scams include the “romance investment scam,” which the police said has also resulted in significant financial losses for Richmond residents.

The Richmond RCMP noted that government agencies will never request payment through Bitcoin, Google Play, or iTunes gift cards. Individuals who receive such calls are advised to hang up immediately and report the incident to police.