China is stepping up its fight against crimes involving citizens’ personal data. The Ministry of Public Security has released details of 10 typical cases, showing how organized criminal groups stole, purchased and sold personal information for use in fraud and other illegal activities.
According to the ministry, criminals employed a range of methods, from bribing insiders and carrying out cyberattacks to establishing networks for reselling online accounts. In one investigation, criminals paid individuals to register e-commerce accounts and obtain business licenses under their real names. The information was then used in money-laundering schemes.
In another case, suspects purchased large numbers of real-name-verified accounts on popular Chinese platforms, including WeChat and Douyin. The accounts were then resold to overseas criminal groups and used to carry out telecommunications fraud and online scams.
The ministry said legal measures had been taken against suspects involved in all 10 cases.
The scale of the problem remains significant. From 2020 to 2024, Chinese law enforcement agencies investigated more than 40,000 cases involving the illegal acquisition of citizens’ personal information.
Authorities urged the public to strengthen personal data protection, promptly report suspected data leaks and use legal channels to protect their rights.
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