Bellevue Couple Loses $1 Million In Deportation Scam: Police

BELLEVUE, WA — The Bellevue Police Department is warning of a deportation scam after an Asian American couple lost $1 million to fraud. According to police, the victims, ages 91 and 78, got a phone call from a scammer speaking Mandarin who accused them of sending fake vaccines overseas and threatening a lawsuit.

The police department said the caller claimed to be a police officer in China and threatened to arrest and deport them. Investigators determined the scammers were in Singapore.

Police said the couple wired the initial amount of money requested, but the scammers told them it was not enough and again threatened deportation if they did not send more funds.

"This elaborate fraud preys on the victim's vulnerabilities to devastating effect," said Bellevue Police Major Travess Forbush. "We cannot emphasize enough that the police will never contact you and ask for money instead of being arrested or deportation."

Detectives said the Bellevue theft was the second case of its kind in the region. In the first case, scammers stole $750,000.

Police are encouraging families to get in touch with their loved ones and neighbors and make sure they know to hang up on callers claiming to be government officials and asking for money. The same practice should apply digitally, deleting any emails seeking personal information and payments.

Police said anyone who is uncertain or suspicious about a call should contact local authorities.