Mounties warn of new ‘foreign police scam’ targeting Chinese community in B.C.

Richmond, B.C., residents lost more than $38 million to scammers in 2024, according to RCMP data.

Mounties in Richmond, B.C., are warning the region’s Chinese community about a scam that has cost a handful of residents hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent weeks.

A statement from the Richmond RCMP’s economic crime unit says the scam appears to be an updated version of the “foreign police scam,” in which a caller impersonates a member of an overseas police agency and threatens to have the victim deported for an alleged crime unless they send money.

“Fraudsters will make slight changes to their tactics or approach in an attempt to lure in new victims,” Cpl. Denise Kam of the Richmond RCMP’s economic crime unit said in the statement Monday.

In the new version of the scam, the fraudsters first pose as employees from an Asian telecommunications company before transferring the victim to someone posing as a Chinese police officer. The fake police officer then tells the victim that their phone number has been linked to a crime and they must pay money to avoid arrest and deportation, according to the statement.

Mounties say five people in Richmond have reported falling victim to the scam since Dec. 24, 2024. Together, the victims have lost more than $400,000 to the fraudsters, according to police.

Last year, Richmond residents lost more than $38 million to scammers, according to RCMP data.

Authorities urge the public to stay up to date on common scams by checking the website of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.