Crackdown targets bank-card crimes

Shanghai police held more than 100 suspects during a crackdown on bank-card related crimes since December.

Dai Xinfu, deputy head of the economic crime investigation department of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, said at a news conference on Jan 15 that the city has handled more than 80 such cases since December, including fraud using fake cards, malicious overdraft and illegal withdrawal from credit cards.

A total of 900 million yuan ($144 million) of stolen money was retrieved, with 400 million yuan from a case involving the capture of two suspects who took advantage of online platforms to cheat money out of victims' credit cards in November.

The police vowed to maintain the intensified crackdown and form partnerships with financial institutions to bring about a long-term mechanism on fighting crimes in the financial sector.

Residents are urged to take special care to protect their personal and bank account information, especially with the approach of Spring Festival, a period with a high rate of crimes such as thefts and burglaries.