Chinese community comes together to tackle scams

Members of the Chinese community in the southern Sydney suburb of Hurstville have come together for a targeted scam awareness session, delivered in both Mandarin and English. 

The event brought banks, government, and law enforcement together to help Australian Chinese communities recognise scams and protect themselves. 

The event comes as scams continue to have a significant impact on culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. 

Scamwatch data shows people from CALD communities reported $38.9 million in losses in 2025, with a median loss of $750 – 50% higher than the broader population. 

The data also shows investment scams accounted for the largest losses for CALD communities ($15.8 million in 2025), while incidents involving impersonation of authorities – such as individuals posing as police or government officials – were linked to some of the highest individual losses, with median losses of around $55,000. 

These incidents often involve criminals impersonating overseas law enforcement or officials and using threats such as arrest or deportation to pressure victims into making payments. 

In-language support and trusted settings 

The session in Hurstville, hosted in collaboration with the office of Federal Member for Barton, Ash Ambihaipahar, provided practical, in-language guidance to help attendees understand how scams work and what to look out for, including how criminals regularly impersonate trusted organisations and authority figures. 

CommBank scams expert, Leo Khama, said delivering education in trusted community settings plays a critical role in helping people recognise these tactics. 

“Many scams are designed to feel legitimate by mimicking trusted organisations or authority figures, which can make them difficult to recognise in the moment,” Khama said. 

“In some cases, criminals impersonate police or government officials and use fear or pressure to get people to act quickly. Legitimate authorities in Australia won’t threaten you or demand money – so it’s important to pause and independently verify who you’re dealing with before responding.” 

Khama said building simple habits can make a significant difference. 

“We encourage people to build a routine — stop, check and verify information, and speak to someone you trust before taking action. These simple steps can help people confirm whether something is genuine before they proceed.

Authorities warn of scam tactics 

Ms Ambihaipahar said, “This forum was created to provide our local Chinese community with access to clear, practical information in a language they understand, and to support residents in better protecting themselves from scams. 

“I was proud to host the forum in Hurstville and to bring together guest speakers who were able to deliver trusted advice and practical support directly to the community.” 

Crime Prevention Officer and Mental Health Contact Officer, Leah Ferguson, from the NSW Police Force said scammers are targeting Chinese communities through a range of tactics. 

“NSW Police Force is warning about scam activity including authority and impersonation scams targeting Chinese communities, cryptocurrency and crypto wallet scams, and romance scams,” Ferguson said. 

“Offenders often impersonate trusted organisations or individuals, create urgency and use fear, emotional manipulation or false claims of compromised accounts or criminal involvement to pressure victims into sending money or sharing information.” 

Ferguson added that collaboration across law enforcement, banks, and government is critical to protect the community. 

“NSW Police encourages people to be cautious of unexpected contact and to independently verify any claims using trusted, official sources. Government agencies and legitimate organisations will never request payments using cryptocurrency or ask for seed phrases, private keys, or personal information. 

“If contacted, do not send money or share personal information, hang up immediately and report suspicious activity to police via the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 or online at cyber.gov.au/report-and-recover,” Ferguson said. 

Broader effort to improve awareness 

The Hurstville session forms part of a broader effort across industry, government and community groups to respond to scams and improve awareness. 

By bringing together banks, law enforcement and community leaders, the initiative highlights the importance of an ecosystem response – combining education, prevention, and support to help reduce harm.