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Video Transcript

Benjamin is a Chinese student attending an American university. 

Benjamin: I had to transfer a lot of money to an overseas bank in Hong Kong. Travel to another city and hide out for weeks under 24/7 monitoring, cut contact with everyone and hand over all of my electronic devices. It was so stressful and painful. I feel trapped and saw no escape from that situation.

Scammers are targeting Chinese international students studying at universities in the United States and around the globe.

Benjamin: I had to transfer a lot of money to an overseas bank in Hong Kong. Travel to another city and hide out for weeks under 24/7 monitoring, cut contact with everyone and hand over all of my electronic devices. It was so stressful and painful. I feel trapped and saw no escape from that situation.

That other city is where the FBI found Benjamin after his family reported him missing. 

Benjamin: I'm still working through the effects of everything I have been through, but I want to let all the Chinese students know and all of international students so it doesn't happen to them. If you get a phone call like this, just hang up and never be afraid to ask for help.

The FBI is aware of numerous victims of this extortion scam, but we believe there are many more who haven't reported it to law enforcement. If you or someone you know has been affected, we encourage you to contact your local FBI field office. We can connect you with services and resources for victims and will work to hold the scammers accountable. 

To learn more: ic3.gov/media/y2024/sa24103