Scammers posing as Chinese police target young adults in Bellevue
Jun 26, 2025, 5:04 AM
A Bellevue Police Department vehicle. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
Scammers posing as Chinese police are targeting young adults in Bellevue, police said.
The suspects contact victims—typically in their 20s or 30s—through phone calls, online messages, or social media, claiming the individuals have unknowingly been involved in crimes such as fraud or identity theft. The scammers then demand money, threatening to arrest them or freeze their assets.
In addition to money, the scammers also demanded victims forward sensitive information to prove their identity, police said. That included fingerprint scans, Social Security numbers, and copies of their passports and tax forms.
“The threats that they made on these victims were so severe that it prompted these young people to, in their minds—and understandably so, because they’re scared—like they want to do everything they can to really kind of show that they are not the folks that they were being portrayed,” Bellevue Police Spokesperson Drew Anderson said. “So, they wired large sums of money to end that, with [what] they believe was an investigation.”
Bellevue Police Department provides details of scam
In a post on the Bellevue Beat Blog, police provided four examples of people who fell victim to this scam:
- December 21, 2024: A 31-year-old woman wired approximately $800,000 to a scammer (posing as Chinese police) who claimed she was involved in an ongoing kidnapping and human trafficking investigation. The victim was instructed to report her location and activities in three-hour increments throughout the course of the scam.
- March 20, 2025: A 33-year-old woman wired approximately $450,000 to a scammer (posing as Chinese police) who claimed she was part of a fraud case and would be arrested if she did not comply. The victim was instructed to open bank and crypto accounts to wire the funds.
- April 18, 2025: A 25-year-old man wired approximately $315,800 to a scammer (posing as a Chinese judge) who claimed he was part of an ongoing fraud scam. The victim had numerous phone calls with the scammer and even hopped on a Skype video conference. The victim later believed the video could have been created through artificial intelligence.
- May 31, 2025: A 36-year-old woman wired over a million dollars to a scammer posing as Chinese police.
“Law enforcement will never demand a community member pay them a sum of money in lieu of an arrest,” the post said. “Police agencies, including the Bellevue Police Department, only enforce state and city laws.”
Authorities urge anyone who believes they may be a victim of this scam to contact the FBI or Bellevue Police Department at 425-577-5656.
Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.
