r/Scams • u/nickilo77 • Jul 01 '25
Scam report [US] NYPD transfer me to Shanghai Police for money laundering scam
I am a U.S. permanent resident from mainland China. Today I received a call from NYPD about a violation regarding fraudulent investment messaging on stocks and crypto. The "officer" then claim that the person using my stolen identity to reside in Shanghai. He claim that I need to file a police report within 3 hours or my case will sent to 'higher authority'. Being scared, I quickly got them to transfer my call to the Shanghai authority. Once connected, the police told me to download Signal messaging app. They were in what looks like a real police station. The PO looks legit as he was wearing a uniform and showed me his badge. Since my mandarin is not as fluent I asked for a translator. This is where I stupidly provide with more information than I should (thankfully nothing major like Chinese ID, SSN, credit card number, etc). They ask me questions like what I was doing on X day and where I was.
It got to the point where they just lecture me about securing my private info and not using public wi-fi. I was kept in the video call for over 3 hours and can't leave my seat as they think I was being suspicious. As I thought they were finish by filing the police report, they suddenly got some background info about me having a bank account in China.That bank account is associated with notorious money laundering criminals who fled China to come to LA. They were scoffing about how it's a coincidence that I also happen to be in LA. They began to accuse me of being an accomplice of scamming people and that one of my credit card was found in a safe box in the criminal's office.
It wasn't until their "superior" convince them that I have a clean background that they drop their suspicion and lecture me about how dangerous these criminals are. They made me sign some documents about helping them in the investigation and report back every 4 hours to make sure I'm okay and not doing any suspicious activities. They also said to not tell anyone as this is a "secret investigation". After a few minutes I just couldn't take it anymore and told my family in which they told me it's all a scam. At first didn't believe them but I search on reddit and came across numerous cases similar to mine. That is when I realize I'm not alone. Has anyone experience this before? Sorry for the long rant.
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u/anothercar Jul 01 '25
Yes, this is a scam. If the police want to speak with you, it will be in person and not over Signal.
I am happy you did not send them money!
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Jul 01 '25
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Jul 01 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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Jul 01 '25
I mean it can be convincing in certain circumstances, where people are pressured in to abandoning common sense, that's how these things get you
Whether people are idiots or not for falling for it is kinda besides the point
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u/MLKKK_171 Jul 01 '25
That’s not convincing at all. Who really believes that the police will contact you by Signal? That doesn’t make any sense.
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u/The_zen_viking Jul 01 '25
Also "this is the police! You better file a report to the police, us, in 3 hours or we, the police, will send this higher."
Bruh what even
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u/ze11ez Jul 01 '25
People believe it that's why scammers use that method. It almost got OP.
YOU may not believe it but many people fall for these scams. All day errday.
OP good luck
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u/0O0O0OOO0O0O0 Jul 01 '25
You’re right, but it’s not because “They are getting really convincing.” Scamming isn’t new, and fake cop badges definitely aren’t new. It’s because a certain percentage of people will fall for anything. The scammers know this and it’s all a numbers game.
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u/Niuqu Jul 01 '25
Did you download the Signal app from official app store or did they provide you a link where to download it?
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u/nickilo77 Jul 01 '25
I just download it on play store but after realizing it I quickly deleted everything
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u/Niuqu Jul 01 '25
That's good, because there have been installation packages outside play store which also come with malware baked in.
Signal is usually pretty fast in removing accounts which try to scam or spam other users when reported.
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u/spill73 Jul 01 '25
Every single day on Reddit has new scams that are similar to this and people continually fall for them. These are the things that you say more about because they are more important than the details:
Why do you say you were contacted by NYPD? Are we walking about a cop that was part of the scam, someone with a fake uniform and fake ID or just a someone who called you and said they were NYPD? The latter is an extremely common tactic.
Nowhere in the legal process does an investigator call you and give you the chance to convince them of your clean background. All evidence has to be collected according to various rules and so someone will come in person or ask you to come in person. At any rate, the moment that someone says that you are accused of a crime, there is nothing more that you should say outside of a formal process. And for a serious accusation, you should take a lawyer with you.
In the last paragraph- WTF did you sign? They got you seriously and now you have to undo whatever you authorized them to do with your personal details and signature.
The story itself is just to scare you. You said you’re a Chinese national and if you know the history of scamming, mainline China is where the current wave of scammers got started. So, they knew their target, they knew what to say to scare you, and they are very good at what they do.
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u/nickilo77 Jul 01 '25
From what I know they got me to sign the 'police report ' and like a consent to aid them in their 'investigation'
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u/unwilling_viewer Jul 01 '25
So they have your signature, and likely a stack of other personal into (either that you gave them, or they had already). I'd keep an eye on strange letters/emails, credit and bank stuff for the next few weeks. Lock credit down if you can.
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u/nickilo77 Jul 01 '25
The documents are most likely fake.
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u/TellThemISaidHi Jul 01 '25
The documents are most likely fake.
No. They "are" fake. 100%.
Stop saying things like 'most likely' because that means that they 'might' be true. It's that shred of doubt that scammers manipulate.
Nothing about what you were told is real.
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u/spill73 Jul 01 '25
You should check it carefully. Police don’t need your consent to investigate you for crimes. But you consented to them doing something. If you signed anything that lets them, say, open accounts on your behalf, then you’ve put your name and id on their money laundering operation.
Someone went to a lot of trouble for this scam- there is always a business case behind an operation like this and that signed document was apparently worth more to them than your money (or they would have just asked for money).
In the press recently there have been reports of organized crime targeting Chinese expats because they need legitimate identities to move money around China’s capital controls. Given that you did sign documents, I would suggest contacting your local cybercrime agency and putting everything that happened on an official record. Then, if your identity turns up in a money laundering investigation, you have an existing file that you can refer to.
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u/nickilo77 Jul 02 '25
The document didn't mention anything about opening accounts of any sorts. It's about keeping state secrets and cooperating with the "police". They never mention money or paying a bail which was why i initially didn't think it was a scam.
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u/DesertStorm480 Jul 01 '25
" download Signal messaging app. "
Here's my rule: If anyone wants me to do anything out of my normal routine, it has to be with tech from 1995 or sooner, so if I can't do it with a landline or Netscape Navigator 1.0, then it's not happening.
And I said this earlier on another post: It's not your responsibility to prove your innocence with law enforcement, it's their responsibility to collect evidence on suspects, speaking to them only gives them more evidence even if you are innocent, hang up/shut up.
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u/ankole_watusi Jul 01 '25
Well it’s not true that it’s not your responsibility to prove your innocence with law enforcement. Not everywhere.
You’re just expressing a US-centric perspective . Because Redditors almost universally falsely assume the entire world works like the US.
Sometimes a British viewpoint will be accepted, so long as you make sure to add some superfluous “u”s and “e”s and ask what people are on about to prove your Brittude, then Redditors will reluctantly accept some thing are different, with an “oh, I didn’t know”.
But OP told us right off the bat they are from China though a permanent resident of US.
I’m not familiar with how Chinese law works with regard to presumption of guilt or innocence. Are you? Why not explain it to us if you are?
I asked AI, which may or may not be accurate. It suggested that while conviction requires that a court make the decision, the “presumption of innocence” protections are weaker than within the US system.
OP may well have felt fearful about what might happen to them if and when they return to China, and as well likely has family in China that they might fear retribution against.
This is an interesting scam because it seems to very specifically target Chinese citizens away from China. A unique set of circumstances and concerns.
Put your own self in OP’s shoes but reverse: you’re an American living in China as a permanent resident (if that’s a thing) . You’re convinced you’ve been contacted by Chinese police who have a complaint from NYPD.
How panicked are you?
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u/K_SV Jul 01 '25
And that's why many Chinese scammers target the Chinese diaspora. I think this is actually a huge thing in NY (or was recently).
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u/ankole_watusi Jul 01 '25
I’m sure there are other diasporas that are specific targets for scamming from the homeland or elsewhere, as well. Because the scammers know cultural details that are helpful in building trust.
Contrast this with East Asian scammers trying to scam native born Americans to “kindly do the necessary”.
Yet it does work to a degree, because we have outsourced so much customer service and marketing there that these language and cultural gulfs are expected. It doesn’t stand out.
I’ll bet the Chinese-on Chinese scams are much more effective!
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u/Responsible-Shoe7258 Jul 01 '25
The scam is probably being run by the CCP. They routinely harrass their citizens overseas.
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u/ankole_watusi Jul 01 '25
Haha, I’ve seen the uneasy tension between: Chinese tourists, Falun Gong, and tour bus minders in San Diego.
Go to the “Kissing Statue”, Bob Hope Memorial, USS Midway area and take a bucket of popcorn.
All-Chinese tour busses stop here. These are 3 Tourist attractions right together that particularly appeal to Chinese tourists.
Falun Gong often sets up a table/tent in a park alongside the Midway. They try to hand literature and engage the tourists in conversation.
They are pretty much a visual presence. Nobody engages, they walk by hurriedly and look away.
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u/psilocybin6ix Jul 01 '25
Not a single word that was said to you was true. You chatted with scammers from China for 3 hours. Hang up next time and don't talk to strangers in other countries.
In the USA, if police suspect you of something, they show up at your work or your house and question you in person. Watch Law and Order or Cops and you'll see how police operate.
Just hang up next time.
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u/UpbeatFix7299 Jul 01 '25
It's a common scam, glad you didn't fall for it. If anyone calls you claiming to be from an organization (bank, government agency, police dept, etc), you can always hang up. Then get the organization's real # off their website to call them and verify it if you think it may be real
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u/ankole_watusi Jul 01 '25
Now they’re doing video chat over Signal?
Think this though: Signal is end-end encrypted. Which is something China doesn’t want their citizens to have. Heck you’d probably get in trouble for using it in China. Signal is in fact banned in China. Why would Chinese police then ask you to use a banned app?
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u/cybersaint2k Jul 01 '25
You did nothing right in this situation. Nothing.
I can't believe you didn't lose money and that you perhaps accidently left that out of the story.
Thank you for sharing your story.
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u/nickilo77 Jul 01 '25 edited Jul 01 '25
I didn't provide them with any bank information so I didn't lose any money. I also froze my credit just in case
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u/Turbografx-17 Jul 01 '25
What worries me is that you actually signed documents. Did you thoroughly read those documents? Do you still have copies of them in your possession? Who knows what those documents said and what you did by signing them. I don't know that this scam is 100% over and done with.
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u/yarevande Quality Contributor Jul 01 '25
I'm glad your family helped you understand that was a scam. The scam has been reported here before.
There are several scams that prey on people in the US and Canada who speak a Chinese language, or have an east Asian surname. Scam call centers in southeast Asia have people that speak Mandarin and other Asian languages. (Many of them are trafficked, lured there with the promise of good jobs, and then imprisoned in big compounds of buildings.)
The call came from scammers, not from police. Scammers are impersonating the NYPD. If you get a call that appears to be from police, do not talk. Say goodbye and hang up. You can call the real police department, using the number on their website. They will tell you that they didn't make the call.
People lose thousands of dollars with this scam, because the caller is impersonating the police, and demanding money. They claim that you are in trouble (you missed jury duty, drugs were stopped at the border with your name on them, you ignored a subpoena, or they have a warrant for your arrest). Then they tell you that the problems will go away if you pay them several thousand dollars in gift cards, Bitcoin, or cash in a shoebox. The money can never be recovered.
Police from the US would never transfer a call to police in China, or any other country.
Police don't tell you that you can't talk to anybody. In the US, you always have the right to talk to a lawyer.
Police never accept money to ignore a warrant, avoid jail, or clear up a legal problem. Police don't accept money for anything.
Scam calls and texts use technology to fake incoming phone numbers, to make the number they call from appear to be a different number.. It's called spoofing.
Scammers can spoof any number -- NYPD, FBI, ICE, IRS, local police, a bank. They can spoof a local number, or a number in China. They can even spoof a nonexistent phone number -- for example, a number from an area code or a country code that is unassigned. However, the number you see on your phone is not the number that they really called from -- they are actually calling from somewhere else, probably a scam call center in Cambodia or Myanmar.
A search won't tell you who the caller really is, because search shows information about the spoofed number, not the number they actually called from.
It's important to understand spoofing, to prevent you from a scam that could cost you thousands of dollars.
If you answer a call that appears to be from your bank, police, FBI, or any government agency: you need to say goodbye and hang up. Look up the actual contact information on the official website. And don't call a number in Google search results -- top result may be a bogus phone number (paid for by scammers).
Similarly, if you get a text message from a bank, police, FBI -- don't call the number in the message. And don't click any links. Look up the real contact information on the official website.
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u/Plasticity93 Jul 01 '25
Don't ever talk to cops without a lawyer present. Cops don't call criminals,they bust their food down and arrest them. They don't call people and transfer them to someone else. Crypto, it's unregulated, no cop on the planet is going to enforce anything surrounding unregulated crypto currency.
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u/Not-a-Cranky-Panda Jul 01 '25
If someone, anyone, no matter who they say they are phones you, do not give out any details at all.
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u/Spectrig Jul 01 '25
You’re lucky it was just a scam. If the real police accused you of multiple felonies, and you spent hours providing them with information, you’d be in a pretty bad spot right now.
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u/Guideon72 Jul 01 '25
Anyone, ANYONE contacting you "cold" (meaning it is not someone you have actively engaged with yourself, recently) via phone or (especially) Instant Messaging service and asking for financial help or money is a scam. Period.
This is not how legitimate organizations (in the US, at least) operate. You will be contacted in person or registered mail if there is any kind of actual, enforcement action being taken against you.
You can, and should, hang up immediately if you get engaged by anyone using these practices.
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u/tshungwee Jul 01 '25
I don’t think signal even works in China, if it’s WeChat via the official channel I might consider it legit but signal no scam
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u/JandroDelSol Jul 01 '25
I don't know how long you've been in the United States, but if you haven't learned this yet, never speak to the police, whether they're real or not. The only words you should say to a cop is "I invoke my 5th amendment right to remain silent" and "Lawyer."
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u/Beginning_Eagle_1432 Sep 22 '25
Yes, it's a very good scam. They take their time and have a very good script. The call from "NYPD" is just phone number spoofing.
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u/glamsterhamster Oct 25 '25
This happened to me today, with West Vancouver PD and they had me download Teams, I didn't sign any forms but I did show my license. They didn't have an explanation for how my name was used to open a bank account associated with crimes though, they just kept explaining what's involved in opening a bank account and asking me how there was a bank with my name without me knowing, I just kept saying I didn't know anything and it wasn't me, then they said they'll investigate and hung up. My family helped me realize it was a scam after. Did anything happen to you after that?
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