Crime Alert – International Phone Fraud

Subject:       Boston University Crime Alert

From:           Boston University Police 

Re:                  Crime Alert – International Phone Fraud

Date:              November 15, 2018

Please find detailed information below regarding an international phone fraud that has recently affected individuals on the Charles River Campus.

Summary of Incident: BUPD is alerting our community about an ongoing phone fraud. Three incidents have been reported since October 12, 2018. All three appear to involve similar themes and are clearly targeting our Asian student population. Click here to view a video message and this message in Chinese language 

These appear to be part of a much larger scheme, which has been perpetrated over the last several months in cities such as New York, Boston, San Francisco, Houston, Los Angeles, as well as in Canada and Australia.

Incident #1: On Friday, October 12, 2018, a BU Student received a pre-recorded telephone call to their mobile device speaking in Chinese language from the DHL package delivery company. After interacting with the voice prompt, the student was connected to a person who represented himself as a Chinese Customs agent and accused the student of dealing in fake credit cards. The suspect was able to convince the student to send several money transfers, using an online payment platform relating to Bank of China, in escalating amounts, totaling $5,500.00.

Incident #2: On Wednesday, October 24, 2018, a BU Student received a pre-recorded telephone call to their mobile device speaking in Chinese language from the DHL package delivery company. After interacting with the voice prompt, the student was connected to a person who represented himself as a Chinese Customs agent and accused the student of being involved in a credit card scheme. The suspect was able to convince the student to send some personal information but the student did not send any money.

Incident #3: On Friday, November 2, 2018, a BU student received a pre-recorded telephone call to their mobile device speaking in Chinese language from the DHL package delivery company. After interacting with the voice prompt, the student was connected to a person who represented himself as a Shanghai police officer and accused the student of dealing in fake credit cards. The suspect was able to convince the student to send several money transfers, using an online payment platform relating to the Bank of China, in escalating amounts, totaling $49,000.00.

Incident #4: On Tuesday, November 13, 2018, a BU student received a pre-recorded telephone call to their mobile device speaking in Chinese language from Bank of America. After interacting with the voice prompt, the student was connected to a person who told him there was a problem with his debit card and was told to file a report with the Shanghai Police. Student was transferred to a person who represented himself as a Shanghai police officer and convinced the student to send a money transfer to the Bank of China, totaling $70,000.00

Suspect(s): The initial pre-recorded call is a female voice. The victim is then transferred to a male voice, speaking in Chinese language who poses as different government officials. The suspect also may send the victim a photo of a person in uniform to try to convey an official office. The suspect is most likely located overseas and may very likely be operating in concert with others. They use telephone transfers to other individuals to try to convey a legitimate operation. The suspect will also threaten to cancel the victim’s visa if you do not comply. The suspect will also tell you that you may not speak to anyone about the transaction.

Advice: This scheme is designed to capitalize on a fear of not cooperating with government authorities and targets Asian individuals. You are not obligated to speak with them or enter into any financial transactions with them or any other person you do not know. If you find yourself in this situation here are some useful tips provided to consumers by the Federal Trade Commission:

  1. Spot imposters. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a government official, a family member, a charity, or a company you do business with. Don’t send money or give out personal information in response to an unexpected request — whether it comes as a text, a phone call, or an email.
  2. Do online searches. Type a company or product name into your favorite search engine with words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” Or search for a phrase that describes your situation, like “IRS call.” You can even search for phone numbers to see if other people have reported them as scams.
  3. Don’t believe your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see aren’t always real. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.
  4. Don’t pay upfront for a promise. Someone might ask you to pay in advance for things like debt relief, credit and loan offers, mortgage assistance, or a job. They might even say you’ve won a prize, but first you have to pay taxes or fees. If you do, they will probably take the money and disappear.
  5. Consider how you pay. Credit cards have significant fraud protection built in, but some payment methods don’t. Wiring money through services like Western Union or MoneyGram is risky because it’s nearly impossible to get your money back. That’s also true for reloadable cards (like MoneyPak or Reloadit) and gift cards (like iTunes or Google Play). Government offices and honest companies won’t require you to use these payment methods.
  6. Talk to someone. Before you give up your money or personal information, talk to someone you trust. Con artists want you to make decisions in a hurry. They might even threaten you. Slow down, check out the story, do an online search, consult an expert — or just tell a friend.
  7. Hang up on robocalls. If you answer the phone and hear a recorded sales pitch, hang up and report it to the FTC. These calls are illegal, and often the products are bogus. Don’t press 1 to speak to a person or to be taken off the list. That could lead to more calls.
  8. Be skeptical about free trial offers. Some companies use free trials to sign you up for products and bill you every month until you cancel. Before you agree to a free trial, research the company and read the cancellation policy. And always review your monthly statements for charges you don’t recognize.
  9. Don’t deposit a check and wire money back. By law, banks must make funds from deposited checks available within days, but uncovering a fake check can take weeks. If a check you deposit turns out to be a fake, you’re responsible for repaying the bank.
  • Sign up for free scam alerts from the FTC at gov/scams. Get the latest tips and advice about scams sent right to your inbox.

Promptly report any such incident to the BUPD at 617-353-2121 at soon as you can.

Follow up: The Boston University Police Detective Unit is actively reviewing the facts and circumstances surrounding these incidents and is encouraging anyone who may have information about these incidents to come forward and contact the Boston University Police at (617) 353-2121.

Community members wishing to assist this investigation anonymously can do so by texting the word ‘BU’ to (847411). The Boston University Police Department welcomes your messages and assistance anytime.

Education: This phone scam and others like it have been widely reported on. We encourage you read the following articles to learn more about frauds and schemes:

The following is provided as a reminder to our BU Community:

Risk reduction and safety precautions:

  • If you do not feel comfortable intervening in any situation, notify someone who can (BU Police, 911, etc.).
  • Program your cell phone with the BU Police emergency number 617-353-2121. Call this number if you become uncomfortable in any situation on or near the BU Charles River, Fenway or Medical Campus. We are ready to respond to your calls 24 hours a day 7 days a week. If you are off campus call 9-1-1.
  • Text BUPD anonymously by texting “BU” to 847411.
  • If you feel threatened on campus, look for a Blue Light emergency telephone or dial 3-2121 from any on campus telephone.
  • Utilize Scarlet Safe Walk 617-353-4877 or public transportation.
  • Be aware of your surroundings.
  • Trust your intuition – if a situation makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, get away or call for help.

Issued by:

Boston University Police Department

32 Harry Agganis Way

Boston, MA 02215

617-353-2121

WHAT IS THIS NOTICE?

This notice is a crime alert. Boston University Police has information to share to help prevent a similar crime.

 

FEEDBACK: We welcome your feedback to help make our messages better. Please send to bupolice@bu.edu

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