Chinese national believed to be victim of student scam found safe
Posted November 11, 2017 7:46 pm.
Last Updated November 11, 2017 10:22 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A woman believed to be one of the victims of a scam targeting Chinese nationals studying in Canada has been found safe.
Toronto police say 20-year-old Juanwen Zhang was located safe and sound on Saturday evening around 4:45 p.m. She was last seen on Wednesday around 1:45 p.m., in the Yonge Street and Grenville Street area before she went missing.
On Friday, police issued a warning about a scam which involves Chinese students being told to go into hiding or their families back home will be hurt.
The same people then contact the students’ families in China, telling them their child has been kidnapped and demand a large ransom.
Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook told CityNews that Zhang went into hiding on Wednesday as instructed by the suspects and did not contact anyone thereafter.
Friends and family began leaving messages on her phone, informing her of the alleged scam. When Zhang checked her phone and saw the messages on Saturday, she contacted police. She is safe and unharmed.
An investigation is ongoing and Toronto police are asking for help in locating two other missing people believed to be victims of the scam.
Ke “Jaden” Xu, 16, was last seen Thursday morning in the Eglinton and Midland avenues area.
Yue “Kandy” Liu was last seen on Friday morning at 10:30 a.m. in the Yonge Street and Finch Avenue West area.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
