Winter Park police issue warning about Chinese-language phone scam
WINTER PARK, Fla. - "Have you recently gotten an unexpected call from an unknown number & upon answering you hear a person speaking Chinese? It's a scam. Hang up."
That's the warning from the Winter Park Police Department after discovering what they call a 'Chinese-language phone scam.'
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According to a tweet from the department, victims may be told that a suspicious document, package or person was found or detained, usually at an airport in China. The victim is then told that their passport, social security card, or credit card was found in the package or on the suspicious person. Victims are then told they are being investigated and must speak to a detective on the case.
The department says that another version of the scam has people pretending to be Chinese credit card employees that claim the victim has an overdue balance and to avoid trouble, they must resolve the outstanding payment with a Chinese law enforcement official.
"If the targets don't play along, they're threatened with a loss of assets, deporation back to China, or even jail," the department tweeted about the hoax.
The department says that the Chinese embassy or consulate will not contact you by phone for personal information, bank account information, or to answer questions from Chinese law enforcement.
Police are warning anyone who may receive one of these calls to not give out any personal information or credit card info -- and to call law enforcement instead.