Authorities declare war on cybercriminals

Last year, China's public security organs cracked more than 441,000 cases of telecom and internet fraud, arrested more than 690,000 suspects and busted 39,000 criminal gangs involved in buying and selling mobile phone cards and bank cards, according to the ministry.

Despite the downward trend of such cases over the past year, there is still a high rate of incidence and the situation is complex, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic as people's work and lives are reliant on the internet. That has led to an increased probability of telecom-related fraud, which has become a global problem that must be fought and controlled, Jiang said.

The swindlers' groups closely follow social media hot spots and constantly change their methods and approaches. They use precise, illegally obtained personal information and tailored scripts to target different groups, he added.

Public security organs have found more than 50 types of fraud traps, of which click farming, fake investments and online loans are the most prevalent.

"Click farming" works by people being lured by the thought of easy money and hired to click on paid advertising links or posts. However, they have to supply personal information and pay certain fees, but the swindlers disappear once they have obtained the information they want.

In addition, some fraudulent operators pose as customer services personnel or judicial officers, according to the ministry.

Huang Xiaoliang, a law professor at Beijing Normal University, said, "The nation's comprehensive measures against telecom fraud are insufficient, so there are still some weak links in the governance of finance, telecommunications, the internet and other industries. Accountability systems for these and related industries and their administrators need to be established to form synergy in fighting such crime."

Online criminal chains, such as promotional services for fraud platforms and illegal trading of personal information, have become an important support system for telecom network fraud activities, so removing these criminal chains would be an important measure in the eradication of telecom fraud, he added.