Today NS Legal shares two “new-style” phone scams with you. The scripts may be formulaic, but each time the scammers put on a different disguise, people still fall for them. Both scams below have already been encountered by friends and colleagues around us, so please stay on high alert. Don’t end up saying, “I really didn’t think I’d be the one to fall for it…”
Scam 1: Tencent customer service calls to say my WeChat account will be banned
Scam 2: “Hi Mum…”
Tencent is calling me to say they’re banning my WeChat account?/
A phone number from mainland China, +86 400 670 0700 (other numbers may also appear), with the caller claiming to be from Tencent customer service (security department), saying that the person picking up has been reported for illegal activity on their WeChat account, which is about to be banned.
The “illegal activities” they cite are endless — daigou (personal shopping), illegal fundraising, money laundering, and so on, each one scary enough to get your attention.
The caller on the other end can even recite the recipient’s real name and other personal information, and “as per procedure” asks to verify identity details. Then, “in all seriousness,” they suggest that if you have no such behaviour and suspect your WeChat account information has been stolen, they recommend “filing a police report.” That is where the real scam begins. Those who have received such calls say the voice on the other end sounds very formal and serious, as though interrogating a suspect.
The scam generally unfolds like this:
– The scammer calls, claims to be from WeChat customer service / security department, and is able to say the recipient’s Chinese name
– The scammer claims the recipient’s WeChat account has been reported for allegedly engaging in illegal or criminal activity
– They then transfer the call to someone claiming to be a “Chinese police officer”, who takes the scam to the next stage
Throughout the call, there are various threats about the “consequences of criminal conduct”, such as being arrested overseas and deported back to China.
During the call, the recipient is also asked to provide all sorts of personal information and documents to prove their identity — passport, driver’s licence, bank details, school details, family members’ names and information, and travel details. Any information leaked during this call can form the basis for the next scam.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says that from January to August this year it received more than 10 reports of scams impersonating Tencent staff, with losses approaching AUD 40,000 — and that’s almost certainly just the tip of the iceberg.
Advice from the professionals —
If an organisation is going to contact you on their own initiative, they generally do so through multiple channels, and the phone is usually not the first method they use (unless you’ve reached out to them first). For example, many organisations here in Australia will start with email, a letter, or even a message, and only then follow up by phone;
If you receive an unsolicited call that quickly asks you to verify information, be very cautious — do not readily give out your name or personal information;
If the caller addresses you by name and asks you to confirm it, you can turn the question back on them — don’t immediately confirm or respond directly;
If you have doubts about whether the call is legitimate and lawful, the simplest and most effective move is to hang up, then contact the relevant organisation or department through contact details you’ve looked up yourself.
Tencent has officially told reporters that they do not call users on their own initiative. If there is any action taken on a WeChat account due to a violation, the user will first be notified via the client app (tested by our editor: even a permanent ban is just a single notification — there’s no phone call…). Any phone communication is initiated by the user contacting Tencent directly, or is a follow-up the user has authorised by phone afterwards.
A message out of nowhere: “Hi mum…”/
This type of scam targets parents in Australia in particular. If you’re a parent and you suddenly receive this kind of message via SMS or social apps like WhatsApp, pay close attention!!!
It starts on WhatsApp or SMS with something along the lines of “Hi Mum, I’ve changed phones / lost my phone / my phone’s broken, so I’m using this number for now.” What follows is a plea for help: because their phone is gone they can’t access their bank account or withdraw their own money, and they urgently need funds to buy a new phone as a backup or pay some urgent bills. They then ask the victim to transfer the money to a new account or use their bank card directly.
Australian police say this type of scam was first reported in Australia late last year, and saw a further increase across different regions this May, with the main target group being parents aged 55 and over.
Police point out that while they understand victims’ initial instinct is to help their “child” as quickly as possible, any request for money from an unknown number should set off alarm bells.
Breaking the scam isn’t hard: don’t rush. Contact your child on their original number, or confirm with your child and the people around them through another channel.
“If you receive a message from an unknown number asking for money, you must verify it through another channel. If they can’t or won’t prove who they are, don’t transfer any money.”
Really, these scams are just old wine in new bottles. A little patience, a little calm, confirm before acting, and the scam falls apart — but people do slip up in unguarded moments. That’s why ongoing reminders and awareness matter.
If you do come across a scam like this, we also encourage you to report it to IDCARE or another relevant organisation!
https://www.idcare.org/contact/get-help
