SFPD Issues Warning on Telephone Scam Targeting Chinese Residents 17-176

San Francisco Police are warning the City’s Chinese community of a “robocall” scam, in which an automated call, falsely claiming to be from the Chinese Embassy, indicates that the recipient has a package being held for pickup.

When the person who has been called presses a prompt, he or she is asked to enter a credit card number to release the package. San Francisco Police investigators ask recipients of these automated calls to hang up immediately without providing any personal information.

“The creators of these robocalls are attempting to take advantage of our City’s Chinese residents and businesses,” said SFPD Community Engagement Division Commander David Lazar. “We encourage the community to work closely with our officers to report crimes. Bilingual officers and language access services are available to help potential victims effectively communicate with us to put a stop to these types of scams.”

The robocalls appear to be the latest in a series of scams that have targeted the Chinese community in recent years. The SFPD provides several resources to help the public identify, report and protect themselves from potential scammers.

Anyone who is confronted by scammers or anyone who knows of an elder who was approached by scammers is strongly advised to contact police. Reports can be made at any SFPD District Station or by calling Dispatch at (415) 553-0123 and requesting an officer to take a report.

Cantonese speakers can leave tips on a special tip line by calling (415) 553-9212 or 1-855-737-3847.

Information can also be called into the Anonymous Tip Line at (415) 575-4444 or via Text a Tip by texting a message to TIP411 and beginning the message with SFPD.