KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: A 20-year-old Chinese student, Li Bowen, died by suicide in Malaysia after falling victim to a police impersonation scam.
The fraudsters falsely accused her of a crime and subjected her to days of psychological torment, ultimately driving her to take her own life.
According to a report by China Press, Li had arrived in Malaysia on 13 March 2025 to further her studies.
Just five days later, she received a phone call from scammers posing as Chinese police officers.
They falsely accused her of being involved in a criminal syndicate and claimed she was responsible for the death of an elderly woman.
The scammers demanded 258,000 RMB (approximately S$47,588) to clear her name.
Over the next four days, they monitored her movements in real time, intensifying the psychological pressure she was under.
On 18 March, she took her own life by jumping from the 39th floor of a condominium in Selangor.
Her body was later found on the sixth floor of the building.
A mother’s heartbreak
Li’s devastated parents flew to Malaysia on 23 March to learn more about their daughter’s death.
Speaking to China Press, Li’s mother revealed that her daughter had left behind a 500-word letter detailing her fear and confusion.
In the letter, Li stated that she had signed a confidentiality agreement and was forbidden from discussing the case.
She pleaded for help, writing, “Mom, I beg you, please help me! This is the only risk I can take to ask for your help!”
She also warned her mother not to mention the situation over the phone, as she had been led to believe that doing so could result in a 10-year prison sentence.
Li’s mother said she immediately realised her daughter had been scammed.
The letter revealed that Li received a call from someone claiming to be from Malaysia’s telecommunications authority, alleging that her phone number had been used for fraudulent activities in China.
The caller then transferred her case to a supposed Chinese police officer named Du Feng, who accused her of being involved in illegal data sales.
Li was told she was a key suspect in a criminal syndicate and would be arrested unless she cooperated with the investigation.
A web of deception
The scammers manipulated Li into believing she had to remain silent to avoid legal consequences.
They also instilled guilt by falsely claiming that an elderly woman had died because of her alleged involvement in crime.
Her mother believes the scammers monitored Li in real time, as she would meticulously report her whereabouts.
“I don’t know what exactly happened during those days, but when we video-called, she was extremely cautious and hesitant in her speech. Eventually, she secretly wrote the letter and asked me to delete it immediately after reading, fearing that she would get into more trouble,” her mother said.
Despite her mother’s attempts to warn her, Li remained convinced that the scammers were real police officers.
“I believe she was brainwashed. She trusted them more than she trusted her own family. In the end, she took her own life, and that letter was her final words to us,” her mother lamented.
Calls for investigation
Li’s father has called on the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia to intervene and push for a thorough investigation into her death.
The family had sent her to Malaysia for her studies, believing it would provide her with a promising future due to the country’s relatively low cost of living.
They never expected that she would lose her life within nine days of arriving.
Describing her daughter, Li’s mother said she was a kind-hearted young woman with a small social circle.
“She was simple-minded and didn’t know much about how society operates. She trusted people too easily. If she saw a stray cat or dog, she would stop to pet it. And now… she’s gone, just like that,” she said, breaking down in tears.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please seek help immediately. In Singapore, you can contact the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) at 1-767 or text 9151 1767 for support. You’re not alone, and help is available.
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