Beijing police crack down on gold-related scam networks

Beijing police have stepped up efforts to crack down on groups that provide technical, informational and money-laundering support for scams, with a particular focus on those that trick individuals into buying gold or helping scammers transport it, according to a statement from the capital's Public Security Bureau on Wednesday.

In one case in January, police in Fangshan district were alerted by a gold store employee about a customer who had made an unusual appointment to purchase gold worth millions of yuan. The case drew the attention of law enforcement.

The investigation found that the buyer had been heavily influenced by overseas fraudsters and had fallen victim to a fake online investment scheme. The buyer believed purchasing gold offline was a sound investment. However, thanks to the combined efforts of police and the buyer's family, the transaction was halted and the gold was not sent out.

In connection with the case, police detained a suspect surnamed Li. Li confessed that he had responded to an online job advertisement promising high daily pay. His "employer" offered a commission ranging from 500 yuan ($73) to 1,000 yuan for collecting and transporting gold from buyers offline.

Following leads provided by Li, a citywide police task force was formed, resulting in the arrest of seven additional suspects.

According to the bureau, since the start of the year, Beijing police have dismantled 48 groups involved in the offline collection of gold or cash, apprehended more than 280 suspects, and intercepted 8.23 kilograms of gold.

The bureau warned the public that any investment or financial management project claiming "guaranteed profits with no losses" or offering "insider information" is a scam. Schemes that require the purchase of gold, shopping cards or expensive items to be mailed are also fraudulent.

The bureau also cautioned that offers to earn money by "helping to pick up goods, running delivery errands," or acting as a "cash-out courier" may involve complicity in fraud and could lead to legal consequences.