In recent years, with the development of society and the widespread adoption of electronic communication technology, new types of telecom fraud techniques have emerged continuously, such as"number spoofing","fake refund scams","impersonating public security and judicial authorities", etc., the problem of telecom fraud has become increasingly severe, bringing great trouble to people's lives and work.

2022/9/2, the 36th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress voted to adopt the "People's Republic of China Anti-Telecom Network Fraud Law," which consists of 50 articles in 7 chapters, including General Provisions, Telecommunications Governance, Financial Governance, Internet Governance, Comprehensive Measures, Legal Liability, and Supplementary Provisions, providing strong legal support for anti-telecom network fraud efforts. This law has been in effect since December 1, 2022.

I. What is Telecom Network Fraud?

With the development of society and the widespread adoption of electronic communication technology, telecom network fraud has become increasingly rampant. Telecom network fraud refers to criminal activities where criminals, with the aim of illegal possession, use telecommunications network technology (telephone, internet, SMS, etc.) to fabricate false information and set up scams, implementing remote, non-contact fraud against victims, inducing victims to transfer money or make payments to criminals. This not only brings serious harm to people's lives but also endangers people's property and social order.

2022/9/2, the 36th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th NPC voted to adopt the "People's Republic of China Anti-Telecom Network Fraud Law," which has been in effect since December 1, 2022. The "People's Republic of China Anti-Telecom Network Fraud Law" released this time consists of 50 articles in 7 chapters, including General Provisions, Telecommunications Governance, Financial Governance, Internet Governance, Comprehensive Measures, Legal Liability, and Supplementary Provisions, providing strong legal support for anti-telecom network fraud efforts.

II. Common Fraud Techniques

（一）Medical Insurance Anomaly Scams

Case: Mr.G received a text message stating that his medical insurance account had been deactivated, prompting him to click on the link in the message and re-bind personal information for authentication before he could use it again. Mr.G clicked on the link, which displayed a page mimicking the official website of a medical insurance authority. After filling out personal information and binding his bank card, the page displayed that he needed to enter an SMS verification code. After Mr. G entered the SMS verification code, he received a message indicating that 3,000 yuan had been transferred from his bank card. Mr. G realized he had been scammed and reported it to the police.

Tips:

² Any text message about medical insurance cards or social security card anomalies with attached links is a scam. Do not click on unfamiliar links or enter personal information. If you have questions, consult the relevant authorities or call 96110.

² Government official websites will not require you to enter bank card passwords or verification codes. Any request for bank card passwords or SMS verification codes is a scam—do not believe it.

² Do not click on or scan links or QR codes sent by strangers to avoid phishing websites and Trojan viruses.

（二）Impersonating Shopping Customer Service

Case: Mr. Zhao received a call from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be customer service and stated that Mr. Zhao had been mistakenly set as a "VIP member" when purchasing an item, and now needed to cancel the "agent" status, otherwise 600 yuan would be automatically deducted every month. Panicked, Mr. Zhao cooperated with the "customer service" and was transferred to a "bank staff member." The "staff member" stated: To cancel the "agent" status, a transfer operation was required to verify the bank card, promising that all fees during the verification period would be automatically refunded to Mr. Zhao. Mr. Zhao transferred all the money in his bank card to the account provided by the other party. Half an hour later, Mr. Zhao discovered he had not received the refund and realized he had been scammed, so he reported it to the police.

Tips:

² The typical victims of customer service impersonation scams are online shoppers. Scammers first illegally obtain or purchase online shopping information and express delivery details, then commit targeted fraud against buyers or platform merchants using excuses like refunds or claims. Consumers must carefully verify such information. If you encounter "account anomalies" or "security deposits," be extra cautious and do not easily transfer money.

² If you receive a phone call claiming to be from an e-commerce, payment, or financial platform customer service, do not trust it and do not transfer money. When in doubt, call the platform's official customer service number directly for verification.

（三）Impersonating Public Security, Prosecutorial, and Judicial Authorities

Case: Ms. Liu received a call from someone claiming to be from Fujian Public Security, stating that Ms. Liu was involved in a major money laundering case and had been put on a wanted list. Ms. Liu did not initially believe it, but the scammer accurately stated Ms. Liu's occupation, workplace, and other details. After adding WeChat, the scammer showed Ms. Liu a "cyber arrest warrant" with Ms. Liu's photo, ID number, and a "official seal" of the public security authorities. Believing it to be genuine, Ms. Liu, anxious to prove her innocence in the money laundering case, followed the scammer's instructions to access a fake website of the "Supreme People's Procuratorate" and downloaded the "fund clearing software" from the website. Ms. Liu then entered her bank card number, payment password, and mobile phone verification code into the software. The scammer then asked Ms. Liu to turn off her computer screen for confidentiality purposes during the fund clearing process. After Ms. Liu complied, within 30 minutes, the scammer transferred all 200,000 yuan from her bank account in 20 separate transactions.

Tips:

² This type of scam mainly exploits victims' lack of familiarity with public security, prosecutorial, and judicial procedures. Criminals impersonate staff from public security, procuratorate, court, or other authorities, claiming that the victim's bank accounts, phone cards, social security cards, medical insurance cards, etc. have been illegally used, or that their identity information has been leaked, or that they are involved in money laundering, illegal border crossings, drug trafficking via express delivery, or other illegal activities. They then demand that victims transfer funds to a "safe account" for investigation or accept supervision, thereby carrying out the fraud.

² Public security, procuratorate, and judicial authorities do not have所谓的"safe accounts," do not send arrest warrants or detention notices via the internet, and will not require you to provide bank card numbers or passwords.

（四）AI Fraud

Case: Mr. Guo's friend contacted him via WeChat video, saying he was bidding for a project in another city and needed 4.3 million yuan as a deposit, requiring a business-to-business account transfer. He asked Mr. Guo to use his company's account for the transfer. The friend asked Mr. Guo for his bank card number, claiming he had already transferred the money to Mr. Guo's account and sent a bank transfer receipt screenshot via WeChat.

Based on trust in his friend and having verified his identity through video chat, combined with the fact that the friend's provided收款账户 was a corporate account at Baotou Mengshang Bank, Mr. Guo let down his guard. Without verifying whether the money had arrived, he transferred 4.3 million yuan to his friend's designated account in two transactions.

After the transfer, Mr. Guo called his friend and learned he had been scammed. The scammer had used AI face-swapping and voice simulation technology to impersonate his friend. After receiving the report, police and banks in Fuzhou and Baotou quickly initiated a stop-payment mechanism and successfully intercepted 3,368,400 yuan. However, 931,600 yuan had already been transferred.

Tips:

² The application range of "AI face-swapping" is becoming increasingly wide, but there are concerns about misuse. Some people even use AI face-swapping to commit crimes, such as creating fake explicit videos or face-swap scams. With such realistic fakes, everyone should be careful to protect personal information and stay vigilant.

² Do not easily disclose your ID card, bank card, verification codes, or other information. Do not easily provide facial features, fingerprints, or other personal biometric information to others. Avoid overexposing or sharing GIFs, videos, etc. Use multiple verification methods to confirm identity.

² If someone claims to be a "friend" or "leader" and contacts you via social software or text message with various reasons to induce you to transfer money, or involves online transfer transactions, be sure to verify their identity through phone calls, in-person meetings, or other means. Do not transfer money or make payments without verification.

（五）Fake Credit Card Applications

Case: Fan, whose business was not doing well, wanted a loan. He saw advertisements for "no collateral," "no credit check," "interest-free or low interest," and "quick disbursement." He downloaded an app and applied for a 40,000 yuan loan. A "customer service representative" in the app contacted Fan, saying the procedures were complete and the funds had been disbursed. When Fan tried to withdraw the money, he found his account had been frozen. He immediately contacted customer service, who said: Due to an operational error, he needed to pay an unfreezing fee of 50% of the loan amount. Fan gathered 20,000 yuan and transferred it to the designated bank account, but still could not withdraw the funds. Customer service then instructed Fan to "刷流水" (boost transaction history) due to insufficient account activity. Fan transferred money 4 times, totaling 180,000 yuan. Customer service then said conditions were not met for disbursement and required a 20,000 yuan security deposit. Fan gave up on the loan and asked for his money back. He was told that the funds could only be returned after the loan review was approved. Then contact was lost and the app could no longer be accessed.

Tips:

² Scammers use slogans like "no collateral," "no credit check," "interest-free or low interest," "quick disbursement," and "free cash advance or withdrawal" as bait. They then demand advance payment of handling fees, deposits, verification fees, or even unfreezing fees, or use excuses like testing repayment ability, adjusting interest rates, lowering interest, or improving credit scores to trick loan-seeking victims into transferring money, thereby committing fraud.

² For credit cards, do not believe advertisements about expedited credit card processing on the internet, QQ, or WeChat Moments. It is best to apply at a bank branch. For credit card issues, consult the official customer service.

（六）刷单类诈骗 (Fake Order/刷单 Scams)

Case: University student Guo received a call from an unknown number starting with "88." The caller told Guo that he could make money by刷单 (fake ordering) on WeChat. After adding each other on WeChat, Guo installed an app based on a link sent by the caller, and was then added to a group. Guo was asked to刷单 (boost engagement) on Douyin by liking and following accounts. Following tasks posted in the app, Guo liked and followed multiple accounts on Douyin and earned over 700 yuan. After tasting the initial success, the caller introduced Guo to "quality orders." Induced by the caller, Guo paid 8,921 yuan but never received any returns. Li (or Guo?) discovered he had been scammed and reported it to the police. Guo lost over 10,000 yuan in total.

Tips:

² Do not believe content promising "high commissions," "likes for rewards," "free gifts," or "like and earn money" in text messages or WeChat. Remember: there is no such thing as a free lunch. Avoid being scammed.

² When you receive requests from strangers to add you as a friend on QQ, WeChat, Douyin, or other platforms, be cautious. Do not randomly join group chats.

III. How to Prevent Telecom Network Fraud?

First, we must stay vigilant and keep a clear mind at all times.When receiving unknown calls or text messages, do not easily believe them—verify them carefully to avoid being deceived. At the same time, we must also protect personal information and not disclose personal information to any strangers or websites, so as to prevent scammers from taking advantage.

Second, we should make full use of internet channels to obtain the latest prevention information and knowledge.Regularly learn about new methods and forms of telecom fraud and learn some simple anti-fraud techniques to become more proficient in preventing telecom fraud.

Finally, if you are a victim of telecom network fraud, report it to the police immediately.If you discover fraudulent activity, report it to the police promptly. Collect remittance receipts, call records, and other relevant information about the fraud process, and go to the local police station or call 110 to report it.

In summary, telecom fraud has become a social issue that cannot be ignored. Faced with such a challenging problem, we need to work together, stay vigilant, protect personal and societal safety, and create a harmonious and stable society.

IV.Tips for Preventing Telecom Network Fraud

1. Download the National Anti-Fraud Center APP. The National Anti-Fraud Center APP is software developed in China to promote anti-fraud knowledge and provide fraud alerts. Its functions include: ① Intelligently identify fraudulent calls, text messages, and fraudulent apps, providing alerts; ② One-click reporting of fraud leads; ③ Learning various anti-fraud knowledge.

2. Pay attention! Answer "96110." When you see an incoming call from "96110," be sure to answer it! "96110" is the dedicated anti-telecom network fraud hotline, used specifically for warning and education of the public. Receiving a call from "96110" means you may be targeted by telecom network fraud criminals. Answer the call promptly and follow the advice to avoid being scammed!

Telecom network fraud techniques are ever-changing, but they all follow the same core principle. Remember the "Four Nos" principle:

1. Do not lend your valid identification documents to others to prevent being impersonated.

2. Do not easily disclose personal information such as passbook (bank card) passwords, home addresses, phone numbers, or mobile phone numbers to others, as this information may be exploited.

3. Do not easily trust advertisements for part-time jobs, job applications,刷单, loans, or similar postings online.

4. Do not easily transfer money or make payments to strangers. If you must transfer money or make payments in a necessary situation, be sure to verify the other party's information multiple times.

Shanghai Runyi Law FirmContributed by Fang Qiqi