Scammers targeting Chinese residents in Montgomery County, police say

ROCKVILLE, Md. - Authorities in Montgomery County have issued a warning about a phone scam targeting a specific part of the community.

The Montgomery County Police Department said the phone scam targeting Chinese residents has duped seven victims out of nearly $1.5 million since May.

Detectives said suspects are calling the victims and speaking in a dialect of Chinese, stating they are from a Chinese or Hong Kong government organization such as a law enforcement agency, a prosecutor or the Chinese Embassy in the District.

The scammers tell the victim they've been involved in a crime and need to immediately wire money to China or Hong Kong in order to resolve the problem.

After wiring money, the victim is contacted again and told they were actually not a criminal and were the victim of identity theft. They are then told to wire more money to clear their name.

The scammers threaten the victim, stating they'll be deported and detained in a Chinese prison if they don't comply.

Anyone who believes they're a victim of this scam and has not reported it is urged to call police at (240) 773-6330.