Where to Begin

Since July of last year, Anhui Province has achieved a 12-month consecutive year-on-year decline in both telecom and online fraud cases and financial losses. In the first seven months of this year, these two indicators fell by 38.6% and 44.2%, respectively. This success is attributed to coordinated efforts from public security, cyberspace, telecommunications, and financial departments, all working together to implement the Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law and strengthen the protective network for citizens' assets.

Telecom and online fraud has become a global public hazard and a difficult challenge. The province has adopted a strategy of "prevention first, supplemented by targeted strikes." Under the guidance of a new "professional + mechanism + big data" policing model, public security agencies are conducting specialized investigations, thoroughly examining every case, and cracking down on illegal activities such as renting or selling bank cards, phone cards, and "money laundering" operations. They aim to prevent these "black and gray industries" from spreading. From January to July, the number of individuals punished for fraud-related crimes rose by 13.7% year-on-year, with 2,621 people subjected to joint disciplinary actions. Authorities intercepted 91.69 million yuan in cash and 17.6 kilograms of gold. Using the 96110 anti-fraud hotline, police have conducted face-to-face interventions to "awaken" 38,600 potential victims this year. Anti-fraud centers operate around the clock, racing against fraudsters to execute rapid inquiries and emergency fund freezes, returning 280 million yuan to defrauded citizens.

A comprehensive, targeted, and professional prevention and awareness framework has been established. Special campaigns focus on vulnerable groups like students, the elderly, and stay-at-home mothers. This year, over 5,900 anti-fraud events have been held, and more than 1 billion alert messages have been sent. Cyberspace is a key battleground. The provincial cyberspace affairs office has issued a document with 18 specific measures to strengthen online governance, including actions to combat AI abuse and false information spread by self-media. To date, over 1,600 pieces of harmful fraud-related information have been removed, more than 460 fraudulent websites and accounts have been shut down, and over 100 individuals have been summoned for rule violations. Personal information protection is integrated into the anti-fraud system. Joint efforts with education, health, and market regulatory departments have tackled improper collection and use of personal data in sectors like education, healthcare, and logistics. A total of 189 such issues have been handled, and over 90 illegal apps have been taken down.

The telecommunications industry is focusing on source control to block fraudulent information channels. The "Card-Breaking" special operation has led to the investigation of 879,000 suspicious phone cards. Cross-border services are now provided on a need-only basis, with most users having closed services for international calls and SMS, significantly reducing the space for foreign fraudsters. An anti-fraud laboratory has intercepted 1.893 million fraudulent calls and handled 11.979 million suspicious domain names. A warning system for fixed-line phone fraud has successfully flagged 68 incidents, preventing 6,015 risky numbers. It has also assisted in dismantling 72 "black box" devices and apprehending 30 suspects. In the financial sector, the People's Bank of China's Anhui branch has established a cross-verification mechanism for risk data. This strengthens the entire chain of monitoring, early warning, analysis, and action. Financial institutions are required to strictly verify account openings and regularly clean up dormant accounts to block fraud fund transfer channels. In the first half of this year, commercial banks prevented 3,680 potential victims from being defrauded, intercepting 59.9467 million yuan in suspicious cash withdrawals and 7.95 kilograms of gold.

Despite these achievements, the situation remains serious. The fight against telecom and online fraud is a long-term and challenging battle. The province will continue to aim for reduced cases and losses, uniting all departments and society to build a solid anti-fraud defense. Authorities remind the public: 96110 is the national anti-fraud alert hotline, and calls must be answered promptly. Do not follow instructions to withdraw cash or buy gold for strangers. Beware of scams involving "loan credit checks." Never share bank account details, login passwords, or digital tokens. Do not sell, rent, or lend personal bank accounts, payment accounts, digital yuan wallets, or payment codes. All cross-border payments must be made through licensed financial institutions like banks.