Fraud warning as student loses £200,000 in fake policemen scam

The woman received a scam phone call and then was contacted online by fake police officers

A student in Northern Ireland has been scammed out of £200,000 after two men posing as Chinese policemen threatened her with arrest if she did not pay up.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) described it as a despicable crime and warned that fraudsters had also targeted other students last year.

The victim, who is an international student from China, got a call saying she was suspected of money laundering.

Then two men dressed as fake "Beijing Police" officers contacted her online.

The scam took place in recent weeks, and the fraudsters "went to great lengths to make themselves appear genuine," according to the PSNI.

The woman transferred the money as they demanded, but she has not heard from the men again.

"This is a really despicable, calculated crime," said Det Supt Richard Thornton.

"These fraudsters contacted the student online, and even went as far as dressing in uniforms claiming to be officers from 'Beijing Police'.

'Hang up immediately'

The PSNI said it had received two similar reports last year of "scammers who had targeted Chinese students studying in Belfast".

Those victims lost a total of £105,000 between them to fraudsters who falsely claimed they were from the Chinese Embassy and Chinese police.

Det Supt Thornton appealed the public to apply five rules when they are approached by a stranger asking for personal information or money.

He advised:

• always hang up the call immediately;

• always delete texts requesting personal information or bank account details;

• never call the number back;

• never click on links in text, or respond to unsolicited texts

• never ever transfer money to another account.

"The reality is scammers will stop at nothing to trick you out of your money, for your loss and their gain. Being scam aware can make all the difference," he added.