The Perils of Phone Scams: A Vietnamese Student’s Harrowing Tale of Almost Losing $370,000

In a recent development, the Ningbo City Police Department in Zhejiang Province received a report of a suspected scam. A local resident, Xiao Li, a student studying abroad in the UK, was in the process of making a large money transfer. Xiao Li was about to transfer 2.5 million Chinese yuan (approximately 8.7 billion VND) to someone he referred to as a friend. The bank teller, noticing Xiao Li’s anxious behavior and the large sum of money being transferred, alerted the local police for verification.

Xiao Li initially denied that he was being scammed, but the police intervened and blocked the payment. They contacted Xiao Li’s parents, who revealed that the money was intended for a “study abroad investment” fee that they had paid without suspicion.

However, the truth soon unfolded. The police discovered that Xiao Li had received a call from abroad, purportedly from a “bank employee” and a friend of his mother, requesting to verify his bank card activity. Xiao Li then realized that he had been targeted by scammers, and his substantial account balance, meant for his studies abroad, was their target.

Eventually, Xiao Li confessed that he had received a call from “Royal Mail,” a postal service company in the UK. The caller claimed that a previous package he had sent to the UK contained drugs and had been detained by Shanghai Customs. Furthermore, Xiao Li was accused of suspected cross-border money laundering and faced potential criminal liability. Being young and vulnerable to the pressure exerted by the scammers, Xiao Li believed their claims and agreed to transfer 3 million Chinese yuan (over 10 billion VND) as a “bail payment.”

Upon inspecting Xiao Li’s phone, the police discovered a suspicious, irremovable app that likely contained a trojan. This was the key to the scammers’ access to Xiao Li’s information, as they were able to control his phone, and the story of the drug package was also fabricated using details of his previous shipments.

Thanks to the timely intervention of the anti-fraud police, Xiao Li was saved from losing a significant amount of money. This incident serves as a wake-up call to Xiao Li and many others. It is crucial to refrain from installing unverified software on mobile devices and to remain vigilant against unknown callers. If you suspect any fraudulent activity, it is essential to contact the police immediately.