Yangzhou court jails duo in HPV vaccine appointment scam

Two swindlers have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, for defrauding over 50 people nationwide in a scheme exploiting the high demand for HPV vaccines.

According to China Central Television, Liang and Wang, the ringleaders of the operation, illegally obtained over 290,000 vaccine appointment records and swindled 55 victims out of a total exceeding 600,000 yuan ($83,000).

Liang and Wang's scheme involved using a Trojan horse to steal customer data, including names, contact information, and desired vaccine types, from legitimate appointment websites. Armed with this information, they sent fake appointment confirmation messages containing phishing website links.

Once victims clicked on the fraudulent links, accomplices posing as customer service representatives tricked them into making multiple transfers by fabricating reasons like price adjustments, discounts, or payment errors. The victims' stolen information made it difficult for them to discern the real from the fake websites in a timely manner.

In December 2023, Liang and Wang were sentenced to 12 years and 11 years and 9 months in prison, respectively, for fraud and violating personal information rights. Their accomplices, who impersonated customer service representatives and provided money laundering bank cards, will face separate trials.

Zou Yang, a prosecutor with the Yangzhou Hanjiang District People's Procuratorate, advised the public to be cautious of text messages containing website links, as legitimate appointment platforms wouldn't send such messages. She emphasized using official channels for vaccine appointments and avoiding money transfers to personal bank accounts to prevent falling victim to scams.