Criminals Use Chinese Phones for Remote SMS Scams

Chinese authorities have identified a new trend in telecommunications fraud where criminals operating internationally are leveraging Chinese citizens' mobile phones to send out bulk scam text messages. A recent case in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, saw police apprehend individuals who provided their phone cards as tools for these remote operations.

The investigation began when a woman, identified as Ms. Wu, received a text message claiming her loan was overdue with a link to customer service. Following the instructions, she transferred money for purported fees and penalties, only realizing she was scammed when further unreasonable demands were made. She then reported the incident to the police.

Police traced the phone number used for the scam message back to a local resident who admitted to providing his identity-registered SIM cards for a fee. Investigations revealed that these SIM cards were being used by individuals abroad to send fraudulent messages to potential victims. Those who lent their SIM cards were promised hourly wages for what they believed was legitimate debt collection.

It was discovered that the operation involved individuals from outside China utilizing the cross-device connectivity features of smartphones and computers. By logging into the same account on both devices, criminals could remotely control the phones to send out a large volume of scam messages. This method bypasses previous techniques like 'cat pool' devices, which have been increasingly targeted by authorities.

Two individuals, Fang and Cao, were detained for illegally renting out 10 SIM cards, profiting over 5,700 yuan. They now face administrative detention, confiscation of illegal gains, and fines. The telecommunications industry is working to mitigate this threat by limiting cross-device messaging functions to near-field usage, such as within the same Wi-Fi network or via Bluetooth, to disrupt these scam operations.