Nearly $250K scammed from Chinese students in Waterloo region: police
Waterloo regional police say since October 2022 police have been investigating two incidents targeting international Chinese students at post-secondary institutions in Waterloo region.
Police said approximately $245,000 has been lost in these two scams.
“This extortion scam involves fraudsters contacting the victim through an automated phone message impersonating Chinese officials,” police said. “The fraudsters often advise the victim that they have been linked to crimes in China in order to coerce the victim into a series of actions, including, in some cases, pretending to have been a victim of a crime, such as a kidnapping. The victims are threatened that failure to take these actions would result in their arrest or harm to their families.”
Police said the victim’s family in China may also be contacted by someone claiming to be a Chinese official and demanding money.
Law enforcement and government agencies will not demand payment from you or threaten you or your family, police said.
Police have offered the following tips:
- Do not follow instructions from automated callers speaking Mandarin.
- Any legitimate contact from Chinese authorities will be through the local police.
- Do not give out personal information, especially banking information, over the phone.
- Ask for the information in writing.
- Hang up.
- Your local police are here to help you. You can reach out to the police if you feel threatened.
LOCAL STUDENTS REACT
Chinese international students at the University of Waterloo said the scam is worrisome.
“Yes, because this sounds like what the [Chinese] government would do,” said Annika Cheng who is originally from Hong Kong. “It actually freaks people out because we do care about our families.”
Cheng said it’s common for Chinese officials to leave automated phone messages, making it difficult to differentiate between a real message and a scam message.
“It will make me worried,” said Kevin Zhou, a Chinese international student.
Students said moving forward they will be more cautious when answering a call from an unknown phone number.
“Try not to transfer money to them and don’t put information about your personal credit card or other information related to you,” said Chinese student Brian Wang.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Freeland's budget bill passes House after Poilievre pledges to block it
The federal budget implementation bill passed the House of Commons on Thursday, after days of Conservative attempts to block it.
'Tremendous amount we could be doing': Expert shares tips for preventing, adapting to wildfires
As wildfires rage across Canada in what’s being called an unprecedented season, one expert says there’s more that individuals and communities can do to adapt and prevent forest fires from causing widespread devastation.
Supreme Court of Canada won't hear unvaccinated woman's case for organ donation
The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear the appeal of an Alberta woman who was unwilling to be vaccinated in order to get a life-saving organ transplant.
Are more interest rate hikes on the way? Here's what experts say
In the wake of the Bank of Canada’s unexpected rate hike, economists are pointing to further tightening in the near term.
10-year-old girl survives more than 24 hours alone in the rugged Cascade mountains after getting lost while out with her family
Rescuers in Washington state are praising the resourcefulness of a 10-year-old girl who survived on her own for more than 24 hours in the rugged terrain of the Cascade mountains after getting lost while out with her family.
Wildfire battles continue as heat, air quality alerts affect most of Canada
Air pollution from wildfires remained well above healthy levels across much of southern and northern Ontario and several communities in British Columbia and Alberta on Thursday.
4 very young children critically wounded in knife attack in French Alpine town
As bystanders screamed for help, a man with a knife stabbed four young children at a lakeside park in the French Alps on Thursday, assaulting at least one in a stroller repeatedly. The children between 22 months and 3 years old suffered life-threatening injuries, and two adults also were wounded, authorities said.
Liberals unveil plan to make hybrid House of Commons sittings permanent
Government House Leader Mark Holland has unveiled the federal Liberals' plans to make hybrid sittings a permanent feature in the House of Commons.
Premier remains mum on funding to search Manitoba landfill for remains of 2 women
The decision to search a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two First Nations women and who will fund it remains up in the air a month after a feasibility study was completed.
London
-
Pride and prejudice: Wortley Pride event learning from controversy during inaugural event
The second annual Wortley Pride Festival takes place June 10 in Wortley Village. During the inaugural event in 2022, a disruption occurred that led to charges against a London, Ont. man, and while off putting for organizers, they have learned from that experience.
-
Victim transported to hospital after stabbing, 18-year-old man facing charges
A Hanover, Ont. man is left with life-altering injuries after being stabbed following an overnight dispute, Hanover’s chief of police said on Twitter.
-
Smoke continuing, rain forecast for the weekend
After nearly three weeks of no rain in the Forest City and days of hazy skies caused by wildfires, it appears as though rain is finally in the forecast for later this the weekend.
Windsor
-
Police release identity of woman’s body found in Windsor field
Windsor police say they discovered the body of a deceased female in a field near Northway Avenue.
-
Windsor woman scammed out of $800 after attempting to buy Taylor Swift concert tickets for herself and granddaughter
A Windsor woman searching for concert tickets said she learned a hard lesson about how easy it is for people to fall victim to online scams.
-
Firefighters battling garage fire in east Windsor
Windsor firefighters are responding to an upgraded working garage in east Windsor.
Barrie
-
Parents of boy shot dead in Barrie driveway deliver haunting statements at sentencing hearing
The grief-stricken parents of a young teen killed in his driveway in Barrie in 2021 delivered haunting victim impact statements in court Thursday, recalling the day their "world was destroyed."
-
Heat, dry temperatures cause extreme fire danger rating in Simcoe County
A long stretch without rain combined with high temperatures and dry ground conditions has many municipalities across Simcoe County with an extreme fire danger rating and burn ban.
-
HEALTH ALERT
HEALTH ALERT | Wildfire smoke intensifies over Simcoe County
The shifting winds late Thursday morning are predicted to push high levels of air pollution over the City of Barrie and surrounding areas from smoke emanating from wildfires in Quebec and northeastern Ontario.
Northern Ontario
-
Wildfire evacuation order west of Sudbury, Ont., expands, highway closed
A wildfire west of Sudbury, Ont., has quadrupled in size prompting evacuation orders to be expanded and one highway to close.
-
Another northern Ont. resident charged for illegal backyard fire, 5th in one week
A fifth person in northern Ontario has been charged in less than a week for having a campfire during the fire ban.
-
Poor air quality forces cancellation of surgeries at Temiskaming Hospital
The Temiskaming Hospital says poor air quality caused by forest fires has led to the cancellation of all surgeries and obstetrical procedures scheduled for Friday.
Ottawa
-
Air quality improves over Ottawa, but smoky skies could return on Friday
People in the Ottawa-Gatineau area are breathing fresher air, as smoke and haze from wildfires in northern Ontario and Quebec moves out of the area.
-
Rising interest rates making 30-year amortization more popular for homebuyers
As interest rates continue to rise, the cost of buying a house in Ottawa and across Canada is becoming more expensive. Many homeowners are now forced to extend their mortgage payments.
-
Bear spotted in Kanata neighbourhood 'safely placed in a cage', police say
Police received a call about a bear sighting in the 500 block of Woodchase Street, near Breckenridge Crescent, at approximately 9 a.m.
Toronto
-
Video captures bus plowing into stopped traffic in deadly Mississauga, Ont. crash
Video has surfaced showing a Mississauga, Ont. transit bus plowing into stopped traffic in a crash that left one person dead and at least eight injured on Thursday morning.
-
Toronto constable demoted for role in cheating promotions exam
An officer who admitted to playing a part in a scheme to cheat the Toronto Police Service promotions procedure has been temporarily demoted instead.
-
Girl rescued from burning home in Brampton last week has died: OFM
A girl rescued from a burning home in Brampton last week has died in the hospital, Ontario's fire marshal said on Friday.
Montreal
-
Quebec wildfire situation 'stable' for coming days; evacuees stuck until next week
Quebec's precarious wildfire situation is expected to remain stable over the next 48 hours but residents displaced by the raging forest fires likely won't be able to return home until early next week, Premier Francois Legault said Thursday.
-
Man accused of Claudia Iacono killing was arrested the next day in Ontario on drug charges
An Ontario man charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in the death of Claudia Iacono, the daughter-in-law of the late Montreal Mafia associate Moreno Gallo, was arrested the day after the killing in Ontario on unrelated drug charges, public records show.
-
Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre opens up about life after stroke, depression
Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre, who spent his life in politics, collapsed and suffered a stroke on April 11, and even as he's slowly recovering, the fighter's instinct, that he's known for, is very much alive.
Atlantic
-
Higgs government faces caucus revolt over changes to LGBTQ school policy in N.B.
New Brunswick students under the age of 16 who identify as trans and non-binary won't be able to officially change their names or pronouns in school without parental consent.
-
Halifax says more residents can return home Friday after wildfires
The Halifax Regional Municipality says it will announce Thursday when more residents can return to their homes in communities impacted by the Tantallon wildfires.
-
N.B. shellfish company shuttered over improper storage of shell waste: environment minister
A company at the centre of a community fight over what residents in the town of Beaurivage, N.B. say is a powerful stench has been ordered to cease operations.
Winnipeg
-
Softball-sized hail, strong wind gusts reported in Manitoba storm
A storm that tore through a community northwest of Brandon Wednesday brought with it heavy winds and, in some areas, hail the size of softballs.
-
Man charged in connection to crash that sent two officers to hospital
A 25-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a crash that left two Winnipeg police officers with serious injuries.
-
Premier remains mum on funding to search Manitoba landfill for remains of 2 women
The decision to search a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two First Nations women and who will fund it remains up in the air a month after a feasibility study was completed.
Calgary
-
Worker buried in trench collapse during sewer repairs in Charleswood
Occupational Health and Safety is investigating a trench collapse that occurred at a utility repair site in the community of Charleswood on Thursday.
-
Classroom Champions: Siksika Nation students get tour of Olympic Oval with Team Canada speed-skater
Students from Siksika Nation had an elite field trip on Thursday, spending the day at the Olympic Oval as part of a private tour and training experience with a Team Canada speed skater.
-
High River auto body shop owners featured in Discovery Channel reality series
The series is called Bush Wreck Rescue and it's described by the producers as "Western Canadian motorheads obsessed with turning abandoned trucks into custom gems, hunt for old rust buckets, drag them out of the bush and go to great lengths to transform them into vintage classics."
Edmonton
-
Part of Yellowhead County evacuated because of wildfire
An evacuation order was issued for an area near the McLeod River in Yellowhead County on Thursday at noon.
-
More sexual assault charges laid against John and Leigh Ann de Ruiter
A self-proclaimed spiritual leader is now accused of sexually assaulting seven women, and his wife is charged in five of those cases as well, Edmonton police announced Thursday.
-
Alberta premier plays down prospect of advisory council of defeated candidates
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is playing down an earlier pledge to create a council of defeated Edmonton candidates to advise her.
Vancouver
-
Bus taking B.C. kids on field trip bursts into flames
No one was harmed when a bus transporting elementary school children to a field trip in B.C. caught fire Thursday, with the flames fully engulfing the coach, spreading to an outbuilding and prompting wildfire concerns.
-
Air quality advisory lifted in Metro Vancouver as officials warn of difficult wildfire season ahead
Metro Vancouver has ended its air quality advisory, citing favourable winds and cooler temperatures. However, it says new warnings may be needed in the coming days.
-
Brazilian curling champion pleads guilty to B.C. sex crimes involving underage victims
A youth curling coach who was a three-time Brazilian champion in the sport has pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual interference, according to authorities in B.C.