Criminals impersonate U.S. health insurance providers and Chinese law enforcement to target Chinese speakers residing in the United States
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned the public about an evolving financial fraud scheme targeting Chinese speaking individuals residing in the United States in which criminals impersonate U.S. health insurance providers and Chinese law enforcement.
Targeted individuals receive a call from a spoofed telephone number of a legitimate U.S. health insurance provider’s claims department.
The call is conducted in Chinese, and the recipient is asked about recent insurance claims for alleged surgical procedures. The criminal then shows the recipient fraudulent invoices on screen via video communication software and demands payment. If the recipient denies having filed the claim or that the procedure took place, the criminal transfers the recipient to someone purporting to be Chinese law enforcement. The law enforcement impersonator then asks for personal identifying information, threatens the individual with extradition or foreign prosecution, and demands a large payment for bail. The impersonator may instruct the victim to download video communication software and maintain connectivity for 24-hour surveillance.