The WeChat official account "Chinese Embassy in the UK" released an article on May 12, reminding Chinese citizens in the UK to enhance their security precautions and avoid situations of losing contact.
The Chinese Embassy in the UK has recently received multiple requests for help regarding missing or out-of-contact Chinese citizens. Hereby, the embassy reminds Chinese citizens in the UK and their relatives to strengthen their safety precautions to avoid situations of losing contact.
I. Chinese Citizens in the UK
1. Maintain regular contact with family. After arriving in the UK, promptly inform your family of your local phone number, address, and emergency contact information of friends, classmates, colleagues, etc. Use these contacts when necessary. Keep regular communication with your family and check and reply to messages in a timely manner.
2. Agree on a code word for emergencies. You can agree on specific code words with your family for communication. In case of danger or emergency, use the agreed code words to report your situation or seek help.
3. Inform in advance about travel plans. If you are traveling or on business and leaving your usual activity area, especially to areas with poor communication signals, inform your family or close acquaintances beforehand. After restoring communication signals, proactively contact your family as soon as possible to confirm your safety.
4. Actively communicate if conflicts arise. If you experience psychological discomfort or have conflicts with your family, actively communicate and resolve issues instead of acting impulsively, which could lead to losing contact.
II. Relatives of Chinese Citizens in the UK
1. Fully understand contact information. Besides the personal information of your relatives in the UK, also know the contact details of their close local emergency contacts. Parents of international students should particularly know their child's student ID, major, contact information of school student services, advisors, classmates, roommates, apartment managers, or landlords, etc., for emergencies.
2. Regularly maintain communication. Frequently communicate with your UK-based relatives to care about their physical and mental well-being and whereabouts. If you fail to reach them beyond the agreed time, act quickly to avoid delays in locating them.
3. Stay calm and seek help in case of danger. If you judge that your relative is missing due to danger, immediately contact the UK police to file a report and use multiple channels, such as their emergency contacts, to locate them. If necessary, contact the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate in the UK for assistance.
Schemes of Virtual Kidnapping Fraud
The Chinese Embassy in the UK further analyzes various schemes of virtual kidnapping fraud targeting international students.
Step 1: Fraudsters use remote control software to set up a communications device (simple GOIP equipment) with multiple phones. As long as there is a network, overseas gangs can remotely control domestic phones to carry out fraud.
Step 2: Fraudsters impersonate identities such as courier companies, international police, Chinese procuratorate and judiciary departments, or embassy staff according to different scripts. They then make calls through network devices, pretending to be the above departments' numbers, contacting Chinese international students and falsely accusing them of crimes. This makes the victims believe they are involved in criminal cases or have had their identities stolen, requiring payment to avoid prosecution, arrest, and deportation. But what if the victim has no money or not enough money?
Step 3: Fraudsters will provide strategies and persuade the victims to fake being kidnapped, then demand ransom from their families to cover the required expenses. At this time, the victims are in extreme fear, to avoid being implicated and to continue their studies, they follow the fraudsters' instructions to leave their residence, even leave the town, and hide in hotels elsewhere. They cut off all contact with family, friends, and classmates via phone and social media. According to the script set by the fraudsters, they use props purchased in advance, such as tape, ropes, and red paint, to take pictures or videos showing themselves being kidnapped, beaten, abused, crying for help, and asking for rescue.
Step 4: During the period of the victim's disappearance, the fraudsters impersonate the victim's WeChat or phone to contact their parents, falsely claiming that the child has been kidnapped, and send pre-recorded photos or videos as evidence, demanding a large ransom from the parents. Since the fraudsters can accurately provide private information about the child, and there are related photos and videos as proof while cutting off the victim's contact with the outside world, parents often believe it to be true, leading to financial losses.
Hereby, the Chinese Embassy in the UK once again reminds international students in the UK to enhance their awareness of prevention. Remember that embassies, consulates, or police and judicial authorities will never handle cases over the phone or WeChat, nor ask you to pay money or transfer funds! If unfortunately defrauded, immediately report it to the police, contact family, teachers, classmates, and embassy staff to seek their help, and interrupt the fraud. Meanwhile, we remind parents of international students to stay calm when receiving calls, pictures, or videos claiming their child has been kidnapped. Always remain calm and seek help through proper channels from the police, embassies, or schools where the child is studying.
UK Emergency Numbers: Within the UK, dial 999 or 101 (for non-emergencies). From abroad, look up the corresponding regional police overseas hotline online.
Global Consular Protection and Service Emergency Hotline of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: +86-10-12308 or +86-10-65612308
Phone of the Chinese Embassy in the UK: +44-2072998439
Phone of the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester: +44-161-2248986
Phone of the Chinese Consulate General in Edinburgh: +44-131-3374449
Phone of the Chinese Consulate General in Belfast: +44-7895306461
Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7503887051725586981/
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