International students studying in China also enjoy online shopping on Chinese e-commerce platforms. But while it is convenient and fast, one should also be careful of a common scam targeting online shoppers - the "fake customer service" refund scam. Many students have received similar phone calls before, and once they believe it easily, it may cause financial losses.

I. Fraudulent methods

After shopping on an e-commerce platform, consumers receive a phone call or text message from a self proclaimed customer service representative who can accurately provide your order information and claim that there are quality issues or abnormal orders with the product. They proactively request a refund and compensation for you. Subsequently, customer service will guide consumers to click on the "refund link" or scan the QR code. The page that appears to be legitimate is actually forged by fraudsters. The page will require you to fill in your bank card number, mobile phone number, payment password, and especially the crucial SMS verification code. Once submitted, scammers can quickly steal the funds in your account and even use the loan function to put you in debt.

II. Preventive tips

1.Verify through official channels, never trust incoming calls, and verify with the store as soon as possible.

2.Protect personal information and never disclose passwords and verification codes.

3.Reject unfamiliar links and scan codes carefully.

作者：邢露萍（海外教育学院）  审核：朱丹