Ethical Hacking News
The FBI has issued a warning to Chinese speakers in the US about an aggressive health insurance scam campaign preying on vulnerable individuals. The scammers use spoofed phone numbers and fake claims departments from legitimate US health insurance providers to trick targets into paying for non-existent surgical procedures.
The FBI has issued a warning about a health insurance scam campaign targeting vulnerable individuals in the US. The scammers use spoofed phone numbers and fake claims departments to trick targets into paying for non-existent surgical procedures. Victims are initially contacted via phone, claiming unpaid bills for recent surgeries, and then asked to pay a fraudulent invoice during a video call. If the victim declines, scammers threaten them with extradition or prosecution in China and demand payment for bail. The FBI advises individuals to verify the identity of self-proclaimed insurance reps and not share personal information or credentials.
The FBI has issued a warning to Chinese speakers in the United States, alerting them to an aggressive health insurance scam campaign that is preying on vulnerable individuals. The scammers are using spoofed telephone numbers and fake claims departments from legitimate US health insurance providers to trick targets into paying for non-existent surgical procedures.
According to the FBI, the scammers will initially contact potential victims via phone, claiming that they have unpaid bills related to recent surgical procedures. If the target entertains the conversation about paying for a surgery they almost certainly did not receive, the scammers get them to join a video call. At this point, they present the potential victim with a fraudulent invoice.
When the inevitable decline to pay occurs, the scammers say they will refer the case to Chinese law enforcement – because they definitely have jurisdiction over US healthcare bills – and a separate member of the scam operation then contacts them under that guise. The so-called representative of the Chinese state demands that the target surrenders their personal information before threatening them with extradition or prosecution in China.
The scammers will then demand payment for bail, and in some cases they tell the victim to download what the FBI referred to as "video communication software" and keep it running for 24-hour surveillance. While the description of the scam's premise sounds barely plausible, the fact that the FBI felt compelled to issue an alert suggests that the campaign has seen at least some success.
Healthcare fraud is listed among the FBI's most common scams affecting US residents, and impersonating a healthcare professional – a category under which this case would fall – is one of the common themes among these campaigns. The FBI encouraged targets of this scam in particular to independently verify the identity of self-proclaimed insurance reps, and not to hand over any personal information and/or credentials for insurance-related logins.
The FBI's most recent Internet Crime Report revealed that the agency received 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime in 2024, leading to losses exceeding $16 billion. A large chunk of these were attributed to cryptocurrency investment frauds and business email compromise schemes.
In a broader context, the rise of scams targeting vulnerable individuals has become an increasingly pressing concern for law enforcement agencies around the world. As technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, new vulnerabilities are being exploited by scammers on an almost daily basis.
The increasing sophistication of these scams is largely due to advancements in artificial intelligence and social engineering tactics. Scammers can now tailor their messages to suit individual targets, making it increasingly difficult for victims to distinguish between genuine and fake communications.
Furthermore, the anonymity offered by the dark web has given rise to a new breed of cybercrime that operates outside the realm of traditional law enforcement agencies. The use of cryptocurrencies and other digital currencies has also made it easier for scammers to launder their ill-gotten gains without being detected.
In light of these trends, the FBI's latest warning serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by scams targeting vulnerable individuals. As technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented rate, it is essential that law enforcement agencies adapt and stay ahead of the curve to keep pace with emerging threats.
The rise of scammers like those outlined in the FBI's recent warning highlights the need for greater awareness and vigilance among potential victims. By staying informed about the latest scams and being cautious when interacting with unsolicited callers, individuals can significantly reduce their risk of falling victim to these types of schemes.
In conclusion, the FBI's latest warning serves as a timely reminder of the dangers posed by scammers targeting vulnerable individuals in the United States. As technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented rate, it is essential that law enforcement agencies stay ahead of the curve to keep pace with emerging threats.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/FBI-Warns-of-Aggressive-Health-Insurance-Scam-Campaign-Targeting-Chinese-Speakers-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/11/14/fbi_chinese_speaker_health_insurance/
Published: Fri Nov 14 10:25:05 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
