A Bellevue couple lost $1 million to fraud after investigators say they received a phone call claiming the two sent fake vaccines overseas and were going to be sued.
According to Bellevue police, the couple, ages 78 and 91, protested to the scammers they weren't the people who sent the vaccines. The scammer told them to file a police report to "prove their innocence."
The couple received a call from someone claiming to be an officer in China, threatening to arrest and deport them.
The scammers were in Singapore and spoke the couple's native language of Mandarin.
The couple wired money as directed by the scammers, who said that wasn't enough. After again threatening to deport them, the couple wired more money.
“This elaborate fraud preys on the victim’s vulnerabilities to devastating effect,” said Major Travess Forbush. “We cannot emphasize enough that the police will never contact you and ask for money instead of being arrested or deportation.”
It is the second fraud case like this in the region. The other case involved a $750,000 loss.