Keeping your money safe is itself a contribution to the fight against telecom fraud in northern Myanmar

The documentary The Demise of Telecom Fraud in Northern Myanmar, which drew widespread public attention during China's National Day holidays, has further exposed the harrowing underworld of cross-border telecom fraud. The brutal scenes of crime depicted in the documentary let viewers see for themselves the enormous harm caused by telecom fraud and how hard it is to hunt the criminals across borders.

In recent years, Chinese public security authorities have devoted substantial resources to combating cross-border telecom fraud. Despite obstacles, they have continued to carry out special operations to "cut off the flow," "take down key targets" and "sever the chains" linking criminal networks. These efforts have targeted telecom fraud syndicates associated with the "Four Families" in northern Myanmar, resulting in the capture of numerous ringleaders and key members.

In 2025, Chinese public security authorities, working with relevant agencies, intercepted 3.6 billion fraudulent calls and 3.3 billion scam text messages, and conducted emergency fund freezes totaling 217.07 billion yuan ($31.1 billion). Police officers carried out face-to-face dissuasion with potential victims 6.75 million times. Since the beginning of 2026, China has strengthened law-enforcement cooperation with Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other countries, resulting in the arrest and repatriation of more than 20,000 suspects involved in telecom fraud. These forceful actions have undoubtedly delivered a powerful blow to transnational fraud networks.

The fight against telecom fraud is a long-term battle. It requires not only governments to build a comprehensive cross-border law-enforcement network, but also every individual to strengthen their own psychological defenses and build a strong "firewall" against fraud. Data from the Ministry of Public Security and police authorities in various provinces show that telecom fraud affects a large number of people. Victims aged 18 to 40 account for more than 60 percent of all victims, while the proportion of victims born in the 2000s continues to rise. Young people have increasingly become prime targets for fraudsters.

As technology has advanced, fraud syndicates have long since moved beyond indiscriminate mass targeting. They now use big data and AI to tailor scams with precision, exploiting human vulnerabilities and setting traps step by step. To strengthen our inner line of defense, we need to develop sound values and the self-discipline to resist temptation. We should remain highly alert to seemingly irresistible "windfalls" such as promises of "high returns" or "guaranteed profits." When we receive suspicious messages or are lured into transferring money, we should promptly verify the situation with family members or friends and report the matter to the police. Do not be carried away by panic or greed, and step out of the psychological trap the scammers build.

The "Four Families" telecom fraud syndicates have been crushed, but the scam calls still ring. Keeping your money safe is itself a contribution to the fight against fraud rooted in northern Myanmar. That fight has never been a solo act by the public security authorities. It is a system that depends on the police, society and individuals pulling together. The Chinese government has already initiated the establishment of an International Alliance Combating Telecom and Cyber Fraud involving 46 countries, aiming to root out the soil in which such crime grows. Police keep demolishing the strongholds at the front, and society is tightening the net of governance. The last test is whether the public's inner firewall will hold.

Keeping your money safe protects you and your family's interests. Also, strong support for the fight against cross-border crime helps keep a sound environment for travel, trade and tourism between China and its neighbors. Fraud prevention is not someone else's business. Each individual is the first line of defense for his own safety, and a participant in regional security governance. Let us stay alert, keep greed in check, remain rational and leave scammers no opening.