Image: H. Y. Shin 000, released into the public domain (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons.
A 29-year-old University of Georgia student lost more than $105,000 in a months-long scam that began with a single phone call and threats of deportation. According to an Athens-Clarke County police report, the Chinese national — who lives in Athens, Georgia — reported the fraud to police on September 14, 2026.
How the Scam Worked
Back in April 2026, the student received a call from someone claiming to be with “Costco Member Services,” who told him a credit card had been opened in his name in China. He was then transferred to another person claiming to be a Chinese police officer.
The fake officer told him he was a suspect in a child trafficking and money laundering case — and that unless he cooperated with the “investigation,” he would be deported to China and criminally prosecuted.
Believing the threats, the student followed the caller’s orders. He was told to transfer money as part of an “asset clearance and security review.” From April through the end of August 2026, he made six transfers from his bank account to various banks in China and Hong Kong. The money had been sent by his father in Taiwan to support his studies.
To make the scheme more convincing, the scammers also sent spoofed emails designed to look like legitimate Costco order confirmations.
This case shows how a coordinated Phishing attack can combine fake phone calls and forged emails to wear a victim down over several months.
He only reported the crime after realizing he had been scammed. Police advised him to file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
The Red Flags
- No legitimate company or police force will ever demand that you transfer money to “clear” an investigation. An “asset clearance and security review” is not a real legal process — it is scam language.
- Real law enforcement does not threaten deportation or arrest over the phone to pressure you into sending money.
- The scammers manufactured authority by name-dropping — first Costco Member Services, then a “Chinese police officer.” Spoofed caller ID can make any call look official.
- Spoofed emails can look identical to real order confirmations from companies like Costco. Always check the sender’s actual email address and log in to your account directly instead of clicking links.
- Scammers often isolate their victims, warning them to keep the “investigation” secret and cooperate without telling anyone.
Scammers often blend an Email Scam with a follow-up Phone Scam so the victim hears a convincing voice behind the fake message.
What to Do If This Happens to You
- Hang up immediately. Then call the real organization directly using a phone number from its official website — never one the caller gives you.
- Never transfer money or share bank details because a caller demands it. No legitimate investigation works that way.
- Report the scam to your local police department and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
- Tell someone you trust — a friend, a family member, or your school’s international student office — what happened. Scammers count on silence.
Reporting Consumer Fraud helps authorities track patterns, and every report of Cybercrime gives investigators more data to work with.
Source: Athens Banner-Herald, September 18, 2026
Have you or someone you know ever received a call like this — someone claiming to be from a company or the police, demanding money or threatening arrest? What did you do? Share your experience in the comments to help warn others.
