SMITHFIELD – A Chinese national working and living in Smithfield was targeted in a scam.
The female victim said she was contacted by someone representing themselves as a Chinese police officer and threatened the victim with prosecution and deportation for a fictitious money laundering scheme.
The suspect had the victim wire money to a bank in China on eight different occasions, between June and August 2023, in varying amounts, from $9,035 to $41,000. Altogether the victim wired $141,201 before notifying local authorities.
Police are investigating the incident.
This makes no sense. If she was not laundering money, then why would she send money for this so-called scam. I know if I did no wrong, I would not let anyone push me around. I think the investigation needs maybe to focus on the person who claims they were scammed. It could be a plot to get even higher prices at Chinese restaurants.