Multi-department campaign to crack down on telecom frauds

BEIJING - A total of 23 departments are set to jointly launch a campaign against telecom and cyber crimes nationwide, according to a cross-department conference Saturday.

The campaign will roll out measures to root out crimes such as telecom-based fraud, investment fraud via Internet and illicit radio stations, according to the conference.

The crackdown should also focus on channels through which telecom-based fraud is committed and illicit money distributed, said Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun at the meeting.

The cooperation with the police in other countries and regions will be strengthened, to keep track with suspects and illicit money overseas, according to the conference.

In June, a mechanism consisted of 23 departments, including the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the central bank, was established to deal with telecom-based and cyber crimes.

In recent years, police have uncovered several large transnational telecom fraud gangs.

Official statistics show that Chinese mobile users received 300 billion SMS spam messages spreading false advertisements and fraudulent information in 2013.