Scammers, claiming to be Chinese diplomats or authorities, target Chinese and American citizens with vishing

Scammers are targeting people associated with China, whether they’re citizens, immigrants, or traveling for business, with vishing schemes.

The Chinese Consulate in Chicago has received reports of scammers calling and impersonating police officers and prosecutors. They’ve also received reports of scammers impersonating Chinese Consulate staff in Chicago and New York.

In both cases, the scammers tell the victim that their bank accounts are associated with illegal activity and that they need to call the “police” in China, and then ask the victim to give up personal information, such as their bank account information, using fear as a motivating tactic.

Using a phone call or voice mail to con someone into giving up their personal information is known as vishing. This method can be more persuasive than all-too-common phishing emails, but it uses the same techniques: requesting personal information, pressing for immediate action, promising something too good to be true.

If you receive suspicious calls or voice mails:

• Ask for the caller’s name or employee number and call the organization back using the its telephone number listed on billing statements or other official sources, not the number provided by the caller or caller-ID. Vishing attacks often use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which allows caller-ID to be spoofed easily.
• Think once, twice, maybe three times about providing personal or financial information over the phone, especially if you did not initiate the call.
• Make note, if someone claims you owe a debt, both state and federal laws give you certain rights, including the right to receive written verification.
• Keep in mind that you probably aren’t going to win a prize if you did not enter a contest. If a call sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.
• Remember, law enforcement agencies don’t collect fines over the phone, nor would law enforcement contact citizens by telephone and ask for personal information relating to taxes or debt. Likewise, the IRS, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Social Security Administration will not call you to update your information or give you a new card.

You can file a complaint about vishing with the Federal Trade Commission and also place your personal phone number on the federal “Do Not Call” list. You can list your number on Indiana’s no-call list as well.

Students, faculty and staff may contact Purdue Police at 49-48221 to make a report if they suspect that their accounts have been compromised.

For more information on cybersecurity at Purdue visit the SecurePurdue website.

Writer: Kirsten Gibson, technology writer, Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP), 765-494-8190, gibson33@purdue.edu.

Last updated: April 30, 2018