China Overseas Network, November 1 — According to the U.S. World Journal, Mr. Le, a private detective with a private investigation agency in New York, said that online fraud had already existed before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, but after the pandemic began, such scams "suddenly increased significantly." He analyzed that during the pandemic, most commercial activities in the United States were suspended and people stayed at home. Some worked online, while others chatted online out of loneliness, eventually falling victim to fraud. 

He said the victims come from all walks of life, including professionals such as doctors, executives at major corporations, and elderly retirees in their seventies. He noted that while middle-aged women are the primary victims, people of all age groups have been affected. "Scammers always exploit victims' emotions, greed, and kindness to steal money," he said. The largest amount stolen reached $2.3 million. He emphasized that one effective way to avoid online fraud is to follow the rule: "Never send money without meeting the person in person." 

After knowing each other for only three days, you're already asking about marriage? 

Mr. Le said a middle-aged Chinese woman approached him, saying she had been scammed and hoped the detective could help find the fraudster and recover her money. The woman said the scammer was very talkative and easy to get along with. "This fraudster knew me for only three days when he asked if I was married, suggesting we take things further in that direction." 

She admitted to being married but said her marriage was troubled and she was preparing for divorce. The scammer then claimed to be unmarried, childless, and also looking for someone to live with, expressing that he was "very satisfied" with her. Showing sympathy, the scammer said he would "do his best to help" her. He mentioned that although he didn't have much money—only a few hundred thousand dollars—he was willing to support her in divorcing her husband and use his funds to start a business together. 

Mr. Le said that the scammers had studied psychology and knew exactly how to trap people. They acted as if they were friends of the woman. "The scammer claimed to be a sailor currently at sea," meaning he couldn't meet in person and could only communicate by phone. At the same time, the scammer sent her a photo of himself—tall, young, and handsome—which made the woman instantly infatuated. 

After gaining the woman's trust, the scammer said he would give her a "surprise" in a few days. A few days later, the woman received a phone call claiming to be from customs, stating that "a friend had sent you a package." The woman admitted she did have such a friend and asked customs to forward it. However, the customs officer claimed, "The package contains British pounds, which were not declared and are therefore illegal items." 

Accomplices chiming in—key elements of the scam 

Mr. Le said this was a crucial part of the scam, with the so-called "customs officer" being an accomplice to the fraudsters. The customs officer would pretend to say, "It seems you didn't intentionally break the law; I'll consult my superiors to see if we can make an exception." Then, the officer would call back and claim, "My boss is reasonable too—just pay 30,000 pounds (about 41,000 dollars) in taxes, and you can get back over 300,000 pounds (around 410,000 dollars)." 

At this point, the woman was half-believing and half-doubting. The scammer called to ask, "Have you received my gift?" He even made self-criticism, saying he hadn't realized that sending money would require tax reporting. Mr. Le remarked, "If the scammer is a sailor, wouldn't he know that cash can't be sent in the mail?" In reality, the woman had already been brainwashed and believed everything to be true. "She was blinded by love and money." 

He said there was also a factor of greed involved. The woman believed it was a business with only gains and no losses, wanting to turn one dollar into ten. 

Finally, the woman managed to borrow 30,000 pounds to pay the customs duties, hoping to receive over 300,000 pounds. However, after receiving the money, the scammer disappeared.