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$49 left in bank account: Cleaner loses $330k of life savings to 'China police' scammers
- Thread starter Pariah
- Start date
https://www.asiaone.com/earth-one
ByCHING SHI JIE
Zhang, a cleaner, had accumulated his life savings over 50 years.
Shin Min Daily News
It took several letters and a phone call from a 'Shanghai police officer' to convince Zhang Han Cheng that he was in serious trouble with the law — even though he had never been there.
The 62-year-old cleaner lost $330,000 of his life savings – accumulated over 50 years – to these scammers, Shin Min Daily News reported on Wednesday (July 13).
Speaking to the Chinese evening daily, Zhang shared that while recovering from Covid-19 in November last year, he received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the police force in Shanghai.
Zhang was told that he was involved in a money laundering operation in China, and asked to "co-operate with the investigation" by creating a new bank account and transferring money to the account for them to check if the money is "clean".
While Zhang had not even been to Shanghai, much less had a bank account there, the 'police' knew his personal information and home address.
Subsequent letters purportedly from Chinese authorities and Shanghai police convinced Zhang that he was in trouble with the law.
After his mandatory Covid-19 self-isolation ended, Zhang said that he visited the bank and transferred $60,000 to the scammer, and also provided the latter with the one-time password of his bank account.
But when he was withdrawing money for his living expenses on Dec 7, Zhang was shocked to discover that there was only $49 left in his bank account.
Zhang's bank statement showed that the scammer first siphoned $14,000 on Nov 15, and made seven more bank transfers on Nov 23 to wipe out the rest of his life savings.
Since Zhang could not speak English, his elder brother notified the bank about the former's plight.
Despite hoping that the money would be returned "out of goodwill", the bank notified Zhang in February this year that the appeal was unsuccessful and that he would not be receiving compensation.
Although he visited his home frequently, Zhang's elder brother said that he never knew that his sibling was worried about being caught up in a 'money laundering operation'.
If he had known about the interactions with the scammer, his brother would not be swindled out of his life savings, the older Zhang lamented, adding that his brother has been depressed and despondent since that incident.
The police said that the case is under investigation.
In a similar incident of elderly folks losing their hard-earned money to scammers, a 77-year-old retiree lost $150,000 last month to swindlers impersonating as an officer from China Interpol.
$49 left in bank account: Cleaner loses $330k of life savings to 'China police' scammers
JULY 14, 2022PUBLISHED AT 3:00 PMByCHING SHI JIE
Zhang, a cleaner, had accumulated his life savings over 50 years.
Shin Min Daily News
It took several letters and a phone call from a 'Shanghai police officer' to convince Zhang Han Cheng that he was in serious trouble with the law — even though he had never been there.
The 62-year-old cleaner lost $330,000 of his life savings – accumulated over 50 years – to these scammers, Shin Min Daily News reported on Wednesday (July 13).
Speaking to the Chinese evening daily, Zhang shared that while recovering from Covid-19 in November last year, he received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the police force in Shanghai.
Zhang was told that he was involved in a money laundering operation in China, and asked to "co-operate with the investigation" by creating a new bank account and transferring money to the account for them to check if the money is "clean".
While Zhang had not even been to Shanghai, much less had a bank account there, the 'police' knew his personal information and home address.
Subsequent letters purportedly from Chinese authorities and Shanghai police convinced Zhang that he was in trouble with the law.
After his mandatory Covid-19 self-isolation ended, Zhang said that he visited the bank and transferred $60,000 to the scammer, and also provided the latter with the one-time password of his bank account.
But when he was withdrawing money for his living expenses on Dec 7, Zhang was shocked to discover that there was only $49 left in his bank account.
Zhang's bank statement showed that the scammer first siphoned $14,000 on Nov 15, and made seven more bank transfers on Nov 23 to wipe out the rest of his life savings.
Since Zhang could not speak English, his elder brother notified the bank about the former's plight.
Despite hoping that the money would be returned "out of goodwill", the bank notified Zhang in February this year that the appeal was unsuccessful and that he would not be receiving compensation.
Although he visited his home frequently, Zhang's elder brother said that he never knew that his sibling was worried about being caught up in a 'money laundering operation'.
If he had known about the interactions with the scammer, his brother would not be swindled out of his life savings, the older Zhang lamented, adding that his brother has been depressed and despondent since that incident.
The police said that the case is under investigation.
In a similar incident of elderly folks losing their hard-earned money to scammers, a 77-year-old retiree lost $150,000 last month to swindlers impersonating as an officer from China Interpol.
I don't know how to respond emotionally to this incident.
Do I empathise? Do I sympathise?
Or do I laugh?
Oh now I remember.
Who did he voted for?
Do I empathise? Do I sympathise?
Or do I laugh?
Oh now I remember.
Who did he voted for?
It's because they have a mindset that PAP is always good, vote PAP, government is always right mentality and hence they get cheated by scammers. Same same.
Imuho the onlee person to be blamed other than zhang himself is the bank orhweesir that assisted to help him do the transfer.
Actually I always hesitated getting mobile phones for my old folks, mainly because of scams. But now no choice cos chenghu give cdc vouchers and simi lan sai all need mobile phones. It's a risk that they can be scammed anytime when you can't always be there for them to answer their queries.
I have a hint for the police to investigate.
Check out his drinking buddies. They are the best people who knows his timid personality. They are also the ones, when he has curios questions like, "why Shanghai police call me?" are directed to.
Check out his drinking buddies. They are the best people who knows his timid personality. They are also the ones, when he has curios questions like, "why Shanghai police call me?" are directed to.
u could be right, methinks the china scammer just got lucky,
pap should employ me to torture these heartless motherfuckers if caught......if
want to commit crime go murder a drug lord or fucked up politician, why scam helpless folks
not sure he is a sinkee or from china
maybe sold his 3 room hdb and stay at 800k rubbish dump....
cleaner where got earn so much?
Don't teach them internet banking.
The most dangerous group of old folks are the mg I.e they know how to answer phone calls. Call back. Surfing Internet etc so they are most likelee to be scammed.
As for my uncle's old folks the pg they doesn't even know how to answer a phone call properlee
scammer will have a hard time scamming them KNNhanor, a fool and his money are soon parted and cleaned-out
50yrs of savings @330k is possible.. It shows he has been thrifty n I'm sure he doesn't indulge in beer drinking @kopitiams which is pure waste of $...
Feel sad for him, hope the bank will help compensate him something..
Actually I feel the bank also partly @fault..
Feel sad for him, hope the bank will help compensate him something..
Actually I feel the bank also partly @fault..
"62-year-old cleaner lost $330,000 of his life savings – accumulated over 50 years". Wow, he started saving as early as 12 year old? On average, per year is $6,600 saved in his bank?
bank should put up a bounty of 330k to track down the scammer, pap should promise to sentence him to death
good publicity for both
good publicity for both
How they got hold of your number should be a concern.
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