Under the cover of a legitimate company, they pretended to be an "old Chinese doctor" and defrauded more than 100,000 people
"Special medicines" have a deep routine, and you need to be cautious when seeking medicines online
Our reporter Huang Hongtao Our correspondent Su Jinan
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The "special medicine" for eye diseases that cost tens of thousands of yuan to buy online is actually food supplies and substitute tea.
In a large-scale telecommunications network fraud reported by the police in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province recently, a criminal group disguised as a legitimate company, used methods such as fictitious medical experts and exaggerating the efficacy of drugs, causing more than 100,000 people across the country to fall into a scam, with a total amount of 3 Billion yuan.
The police reminded not to trust non-professional medical institutions and their so-called "special effects", and try to choose regular hospitals for on-site inspection and diagnosis, so as not to be deceived.
"Special magic medicine, 1 box is enough, never relapse", "Precious herbs boiled, specializing in sleeplessness", "Old traditional Chinese medicine ancestral secret recipe, treatment of various eye diseases"... In recent years, similar false advertisements have been on the Internet, TV and other platforms. The endless emergence from the top has caused some people to be deceived.
Recently, the Nantong Municipal Public Security Bureau of Jiangsu Province reported that in July this year, Nantong police, coordinated by the Criminal Police Headquarters of the Public Security Department of Jiangsu Province and the Beijing-Hebei Police, worked together to destroy a large-scale telecommunications network fraud criminal gang. More than 720 members involved in the case were seized and frozen. The amount involved is more than 70 million yuan.
The criminal group pretends to be a legitimate company, defrauding consumers' trust by fictitious medical experts and exaggerating the efficacy of drugs, causing more than 100,000 people across the country to fall into a scam, with a total amount of more than 300 million yuan defrauded.
Online shopping "magic medicine" for eye diseases, caught in a serial scam
Uncle Cao, who lives in Chengdong Town, Hai'an City, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, suffers from eye diseases for a long time.
In August last year, he bought an ancestral secret Chinese medicine called "Tongtian Mingmufang" at a cost of 5,984 yuan, but found that most of what he received were food products such as "chenpi muxiang" and alternative teas. It didn't work.
After being reminded, Uncle Cao realized that he might be fooled and hurriedly called the police.
The encounter with Uncle Cao is not alone.
Ms. Tao in Nantong City often seeks medical advice on the Internet in order to cure eye diseases. She accidentally saw an advertisement posted on a certain online platform. She was attracted by the magical efficacy of the promotion, and immediately scanned the QR code to add WeChat.
Mrs. Tao was received by the expert "Ms. Zheng" of the "Beijing Zheng's Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic".
The other party claimed to be from a family of Chinese medicine practitioners. After visiting the doctor remotely for Ms. Tao, "Ms. Zheng" said Ms. Tao's eyesight was gradually diminishing, and she might be blind if she did not receive attention.
"Ms. Zheng" also said that there happened to be preferential places in Jiangsu, and she suggested that she purchase 3 courses at a time.
When Ms. Tao bought and used the medicine and reported that the medicine did not work, "Ms. Zheng" recommended her 84-year-old "grandfather", an "old expert" with more than 60 years of experience in treating eye diseases, to see her.
In this way, under the guidance of "Ms. Zheng" and "Old Expert", Ms. Tao successively spent nearly 30,000 yuan, but the effect was minimal.
The "disguise" of illegal medical companies
With the in-depth investigation of the Nantong police, a medical and health care company in a legal cloak gradually emerged.
According to investigations, the company was founded in 2019, is headquartered in Beijing, and has multiple subsidiaries in Baoding, Hebei, specializing in the sale of fake health products.
“A subsidiary in Baoding, Hebei, is well-prepared. When employees arrive at work every day, they lock the door on the ground floor from the inside.” Zhang Jianrong, a policeman from the Criminal Police Brigade of the Haimen District Public Security Bureau, who participated in the handling of the case, said that the criminal group has a strong presence. In order to better hide himself, he even opened a normal pharmacy on the ground floor to cope with the daily inspections of relevant departments.
In order to prevent the police from obtaining electronic data, the suspect also secretly concealed the server.
Policeman Su Chen from the Criminal Police Brigade of the Haimen District Public Security Bureau who participated in the arrest said that they found an invisible door behind the bookcase and collection cabinet of the person in charge's office, with 5 servers hidden inside.
When the time is right, on July 4, the police launched a general attack to destroy the fraud dens in one fell swoop.
While focusing on arrests in the front, the police from the Anti-fraud Centers in Hai'an and Haimen of Nantong City also carried out emergency stop and freeze work on more than 700 accounts involved in the case in the rear.
In this arrest, the criminal group headed by Guan Moqi, Wang Moushi and his wife was "smashed by one net."
The public security organs arrested more than 720 members involved in the case, of which 157 were suspected of criminal offences, and frozen more than 70 million yuan of funds involved in the case.
Lower your voice, slow down your speech, and pretend to be an "old Chinese doctor"
"Their advertising is group-specific. For example, young people are used to using Douyin, and advertisements such as diet pills and male diseases will be placed on Douyin. Older people watch TV more, and they will put it on TV. Advertisements in the health section." Zhao Jie, a member of the task force and a policeman from the Criminal Police Brigade of the Hai'an Public Security Bureau, said that the criminal group’s annual advertising expenditures amounted to millions of yuan.
Once someone contacts for consultation, a salesperson will pretend to be an expert to see the other party, and induce consumption by fictionalizing the efficacy of drugs through professional skills.
When the customer reported that the medicine did not work, the young salesperson lowered his voice, slowed down his speech, pretending to be an "old Chinese doctor", and fooled him into buying the more precious "special Chinese medicine".
According to the main criminal suspects such as Guan Moqi and Wang Moshi, before starting the company, they sent special personnel to "study" in other places, and then provided pre-job training for employees in terms of professional terminology.
In addition, they have specially hired lawyers to avoid risks by modifying the "words".
If a customer is deceived and wants to protect their rights, the company will have a dedicated person to deal with it to prevent the situation from expanding and attracting the attention of the police.
Zhao Jie said that after investigation, the suspect advertised the original price of 1996 yuan for a course of treatment, and now only 1596 yuan for "eye-sighting tribulus pill", the cost is only 70 yuan.
Moreover, the criminal group does not have drug R&D and production capabilities. In fact, it is a leather bag company whose products are distributed by cooperative drug companies.
Be cautious when seeking medical advice online
“Criminal methods are highly deceptive and seriously endanger the health and property safety of the people.” Qu Jian, head of the Criminal Police Detachment of Nantong Public Security Bureau, said that since 2019, the criminal group has adopted a corporate model of operation, using patients to treat diseases with eagerness and prevention. The deception consciousness is not strong, etc., fictitious prescriptions of so-called medical experts, defrauding trust, exaggerating and fictionalizing the efficacy of drugs, and promoting them through the Internet and TV platforms to deceive the masses.
As of the incident, there have been more than 100,000 victims across the country, with a total amount of more than 300 million yuan involved.
At present, some suspects in this case have been transferred for review and prosecution, and the case is still being processed.
The police reminded that telecommunications network fraud methods are endless. Consumers must be vigilant, especially when seeking medical advice online. Experts are difficult to distinguish between true and false. Do not trust non-professional medical institutions and so-called "special effects".
When you encounter the need for diagnosis, medication and treatment, you should choose to go to a regular hospital for on-site inspection and diagnosis, so as not to be deceived.