FBI warns of increase in impersonators trying to scam Chinese students at U.S. universities
The FBI office in Philadelphia has released an image of a suspect in a yearslong police impersonation scam targeting Chinese Americans and Chinese students at local universities.
In the scam, someone will impersonate a Chinese police officer and approach a victim, often someone who is a student. The impersonator then will tell the victim they are wanted in connection with a crime in China, and then ask for money under threat of arrest and extradition, the FBI said on a recent wanted poster.
Victims are also urged to submit to around-the-clock video and audio monitoring, to avoid discussing the case with anyone and not search the internet.
A photo on the wanted poster shows a man in a police uniform holding what appears to be a fake law enforcement ID. That man is wanted in connection with the scheme and participated in January 2025, if not more recently.
The man speaks both Mandarin and English.
Earlier this year, the FBI's Philadelphia office reported an increase in impersonators and encouraged victims to report what they've seen.
Police said anyone with information should contact their local FBI office or the nearest American embassy or consulate.
If this happens to you, the FBI urges you to report the incident to your payment provider and try to stop or reverse the transaction — you could also ask your financial institution to contact the institution where the money was sent. Reports can also be made to campus security or police.
"If you believe you have been contacted by an individual claiming to be a Chinese authority, contact your local FBI field office. Foreign government officials conducting legitimate law enforcement activity in the United States must act in coordination with US federal authorities," the FBI said.
More tips and and outline of the different phases of the scam are available on this webpage from the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Other members of the Chinese community who are not university students are also being targeted by these groups, the ICCC says.
