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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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Chinese speakers living in the U.S. are being targeted by scammers, the FBI has warned.
Criminals are impersonating U.S. health insurance providers and Chinese law enforcement to con victims into revealing personal identifying information.
The fraudsters are then going on to threaten individuals with extradition or foreign prosecution, and demanding large payments for bail, according to a public service announcement from the FBI.
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Why It Matters
The FBI's warning highlights a new financial fraud tactic specifically targeting Chinese-speaking individuals**.**
It comes amid heightened U.S.-China tensions, increasing risks of exploitation among immigrant and international communities, and rising complexity in scams targeting vulnerable populations.
What To Know
Criminals initiate contact with Chinese speakers by spoofing U.S. health insurance claims departments with phone calls conducted in Chinese, according to the FBI.
Victims are questioned about recent insurance claims for alleged surgical procedures, shown fraudulent invoices via video software, and pressured to pay for the claims.
If targets dispute the claims, they are transferred to another caller, who impersonates Chinese law enforcement.
This impersonator may threaten victims with extradition or prosecution unless they submit personal identifying information and payments described as bail.
In some cases, targets are instructed to maintain 24-hour video connectivity for “surveillance” through downloaded software.
The FBI advises the public not to share personal or financial information with unsolicited callers, not to wire money, and not to allow remote access or surveillance on their devices.
Individuals targeted by such scams are encouraged to file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), providing all relevant contact and transaction details.
The warning comes alongside broader FBI efforts to counter cyber campaigns attributed to Chinese actors, including the "Salt Typhoon" hacking group targeting telecom providers and data breaches in U.S. critical infrastructure.
What People Are Saying
The FBI has issued the following tips "on how to protect yourself":
"Do not allow anyone to gain control of your computer or maintain connectivity for video surveillance.
Independently verify your health insurance claim records through the health insurance website or customer service phone number.
Do not share any personal information, including health insurance website login information, with an unsolicited caller.
Do not wire any money to an unsolicited caller."
What Happens Next
The FBI and partner agencies advise continued vigilance, self-verification of insurance claims, and secure communications practices, such as using encrypted apps and enabling two-factor authentication.
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