Multi-million dollar extortion scam targeting Chinese-speaking community

Millions of dollars have been stolen from members of Victoria’s Chinese-speaking community through a sophisticated extortion scam which police are warning is on the rise. Victoria Police says victims are being contacted through social media networks including WeChat and WhatsApp by criminals impersonating government officials, police and courier services. “Scammers aim to instil fear in their victims when by claiming to be government officials, exploiting victims’ trust in authority,” a spokesperson said. ” These scams are aggressive and elaborate, leaving victims feeling frightened and intimidated. ” Victims are often sent a pre-recorded message in Mandarin advising them that they have…