Part 7/12:
Kai's case is not isolated. Since 2023, hundreds of similar incidents have surfaced across countries like the United States, Australia, the UK, Japan, and Canada. Studies indicate that the highest number of these scams affect Chinese international students, who often lack familiarity with the legal and social systems abroad and may be reluctant to seek help due to social or cultural pressures.
In Australia alone, more than 1,250 scams involving impersonation of Chinese officials were reported by September 2023, netting over $8.7 million USD. Victims ranged from university students to recent immigrants, with many coerced into false confessions or staged crimes, and some even staging their own kidnapping at the scammers’ instruction.