Online fraud is rampant, so the new law's content must be known in advance.
Compiled from The Paper
On December 1, 2022, the Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law (hereinafter referred to as the "Anti-Fraud Law") officially came into effect, further strengthening the fight against telecom fraud. This is China’s first specialized legislation targeting the combat and governance of telecom and online fraud. Behind this specialized legislation lies a severe reality.
Case review
"In those first few days after I found out, I couldn't sleep through the night. My heart felt like it was being gripped. I couldn't eat, and I was dry heaving." A netizen who lost 300,000 yuan to a pig-butchering scam wrote in a post on social media.
"Pig butchering" is a currently popular form of telecom fraud, in which "butchers" lure victims into investment, gambling, or lending through online dating and other means. Once the victims have invested emotionally and financially, the "butchers" immediately deactivate their accounts—this is the moment of "slaughter."
Another netizen who also fell victim to a pig-butchering scam later recalled that the one thing this experience changed in her was that she "came to understand there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world."
And these are just the tip of the iceberg in the world of telecom fraud. In 2020, telecom fraud caused property losses of 35.37 billion yuan in China alone.
The Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law of the People's Republic of China
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[1] The author's perspective
As time evolves and technology advances, telecom fraud has taken on new forms. In terms of methods, new tricks like virtual currency trading and predatory loans have emerged; in terms of content, new gimmicks such as mask investments and anti-epidemic miracle drugs have appeared. But no matter how sophisticated the scammers' techniques, they all boil down to one goal: swindling victims' money. This reminds the public not to believe in windfalls like high returns or insider information, and to protect themselves—from personal privacy to physical safety—by not revealing too much online, lest they be exploited by malicious individuals.
This time, the official implementation of the Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law provides more comprehensive legal safeguards for preventing, curbing, and punishing telecom and online fraud. It not only sets out provisions on the protection of citizens' personal information, but also places special emphasis on the issue of the “two cards.” In addition, it specifically implements the primary responsibilities of internet service providers. It can thus be seen that the new law covers a relatively broad scope and is closely tied to both individuals' daily lives and enterprises' operations. The author hereby calls on everyone to actively study the Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law, raise anti-fraud awareness among individuals and enterprises, and effectively protect their own lawful property.
