Two Chinese nationals engaged in fishing scams in Illinois, United States, falsely claiming to be law enforcement personnel and defrauding tens of thousands of dollars from victims. When they attempted to enter the victim’s residence again to take more cash, they were apprehended on the spot by police.
The Marion Police Department in southern Illinois announced on Tuesday (October 29) that they successfully lured the suspects to the victim’s home and arrested two foreigners from China. Currently, these two Chinese individuals are facing charges of fraud, theft, and telecommunications fraud.
The Marion Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are still investigating the case.
On October 18, the Marion Police Department received a report from a victim. The victim reported falling victim to an email phishing scam, resulting in a loss of tens of thousands of dollars.
The victim described receiving an email that appeared to be a receipt for purchasing McAfee + antivirus software through PayPal. At the bottom of this forged receipt was a phone number, with instructions stating that if the recipient was not the actual purchaser, they should call the number.
As a result, the victim called the number and provided their personal information to “prove” they were not the actual purchaser. Shortly after, the victim received a call from a man claiming to be an officer from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigating the victim.
The victim was then informed that they needed to deposit funds with the FTC for safekeeping in a federal lockbox, or else they would lose all their personal property during the investigation.
Consequently, the victim followed their instructions, withdrew money from their bank account, and packaged the cash ready for the other party to collect.
The suspects subsequently visited the victim’s home in person to collect the cash. This situation occurred multiple times.
On October 24, when the suspects returned, preparing to collect another $5,000 in cash, they encountered a police ambush at the location.
Police arrested the two foreign nationals from China. Currently, the two Chinese individuals are facing charges of fraud, theft, and telecommunications fraud.
Authorities remind the public that it is crucial to know that no law enforcement agency will call or email you during an investigation, nor will they demand transferring bank deposits into cash. Additionally, law enforcement agencies will not threaten that failure to pay will result in arrest.
“If you receive an email from an unknown sender, please do not reply or call the listed number. If you have an account with that company, please call your credit card customer service number or the number listed on the company’s website. If you have any doubts, please contact the local police department and do not disclose any personal or bank account information,” the police stated in a Facebook post.