China Launches National Anti-Fraud Awareness Month Campaign

China has launched its annual “National Anti-Fraud in Action” concentrated awareness month campaign, with authorities urging citizens to “don’t listen, don’t believe, don’t be greedy” as part of a renewed push to combat telecommunications and online fraud. The campaign, jointly organized by the Central Propaganda Department and the Ministry of Public Security, was officially launched on June 10 at a ceremony in Beijing attended by senior officials from central and state organs responsible for combating telecom and online fraud, as People’s Daily reported.

Campaign Theme and Activities

This year’s campaign carries the theme “Don’t listen, don’t believe, don’t be greedy — build a psychological anti-fraud defense line” (不听不信不贪恋，构筑反诈’心’防线), marking a notable shift in emphasis from institutional measures to individual psychological resilience. According to Xinhua News Agency, the campaign will run throughout June and July with activities spanning all provinces, cities, and communities nationwide.

Key initiatives include a “five-entry” outreach program targeting communities, villages, households, schools, and enterprises, where village committees, neighborhood committees, community workers, grid managers, and volunteers will conduct anti-fraud education. Financial institutions, telecom operators, and internet service providers will also be required to conduct anti-fraud training for employees and customers, as CCTV News reported.

The Ministry of Public Security will hold a press conference alongside the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the People’s Bank of China to outline current fraud trends and prevention tips. A special CCTV program titled “National Anti-Fraud Open Class” (全民反诈公开课) will be broadcast, and authorities will release the “2026 Edition Anti-Telecom Fraud Handbook.”

Expert Perspectives on Modern Fraud

The campaign’s focus on psychological defense reflects growing recognition that fraud techniques are evolving faster than institutional countermeasures. In an analysis published by Chongqing Daily, experts highlighted several key vulnerabilities.

Chen Yinjiang (陈音江), Deputy Secretary-General of the Consumer Protection Law Research Association of the China Law Society, emphasized that while the elderly remain vulnerable, young people are increasingly at risk due to overconfidence and exposure to AI-powered scams. “Young people may be more familiar with new technologies, but they can also be overconfident or careless, making them targets too,” Chen said.

Li Chunyong (李春勇), Associate Professor at the People’s Public Security University of China, stressed that safety awareness comes first. “Fraudsters use emotional tactics, calling elderly people ‘grandma’ or ‘grandpa’ to build false trust,” Li noted. He also warned that fraudulent apps can modify phone permissions and bypass SMS verification codes, meaning that even cautious users can be vulnerable.

2025 Achievements Cited

The campaign launch was accompanied by a detailed accounting of anti-fraud achievements in 2025. According to the Ministry of Public Security, Chinese authorities solved 25,800 telecom fraud cases nationwide, blocked 64,000 fraudulent apps from installation, intercepted 3.6 billion fraudulent calls and 3.3 billion fraudulent SMS messages, and froze 217.07 billion yuan ($30 billion) in fraudulent funds.

In international cooperation efforts, 58,000 fraud suspects were transferred to China. Authorities completely eradicated the “Four Great Families” criminal syndicate in northern Myanmar and repatriated major cross-border gambling and fraud syndicate leaders Chen Zhi, She Zhijiang, and Li Xiong. Large-scale fraud parks in Myawaddy, Myanmar, and key areas of Cambodia were also cleared.

Analysis and Implications

The shift in messaging from 2025’s theme — which focused on institutional responsibility — to this year’s emphasis on individual psychological defense suggests that Chinese authorities recognize the limitations of purely technological and regulatory approaches. As fraud techniques become more sophisticated, particularly with the emergence of AI-powered scams, the human element remains the weakest link in the security chain.

Li Chunyong underscored this point, stating that while a comprehensive governance system involving multiple government agencies is in place, “the public’s preventive psychology is likely more critical.” The “psychological defense line” concept represents an evolution in China’s anti-fraud strategy, acknowledging that citizens must develop internal resistance to manipulation tactics.

What to Watch For

As the campaign rolls out over the coming weeks, attention will focus on how effectively these awareness efforts translate into reduced fraud losses. The scale of the problem remains significant despite impressive enforcement statistics, and the rapid evolution of fraud techniques — particularly those leveraging artificial intelligence — will require constant adaptation of prevention strategies. The effectiveness of this year’s psychologically-focused approach compared to previous institutional campaigns will be closely watched by both domestic observers and international partners collaborating on cross-border fraud enforcement.