If you realize you’ve been scammed, call 110 or 96110 right away to request a stop‑payment — don’t try to investigate on your own first.

2. If you realize you’ve been scammed, call 110 or 96110 right away to request a stop‑payment — don’t try to investigate on your own first.

Cost: No cost at all. Just make one call, clearly stating the time of the transfer, the amount, and the scammer’s account number. Keep screenshots of the transfer and any chat records.

In plain terms: The brief period right after money is sent is the only window of opportunity. During this time police can issue an emergency stop‑payment order and quickly freeze the funds; banks are required to comply. Once the money has been moved through multiple accounts and scattered, it becomes almost impossible to recover. Therefore, call 110 or 96110 immediately — don’t waste time investigating or asking questions on your own. Calls to 96110 come from police officers trying to warn you, so be sure to answer them.

Benefit: Law enforcement has the authority to instantly query, urgently stop‑pay, and swiftly freeze any funds linked to a scam. Banks and payment services must cooperate. Once frozen, those funds are returned to victims according to established procedures. The sooner a stop‑payment is ordered, the higher the chance of recovery; after the money has been dispersed, success rates drop dramatically. 96110 is the nationwide anti‑fraud hotline; calls from this number are police warnings, so you must answer them. (Nationwide, effective December 2022)

Evidence grade: A

Sources: Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (2022). Anti-Telecommunications Network Fraud Law (Articles 20, 34). <https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/202209/t20220902_575631.shtml>; Fujian Provincial Public Security Department (2023). 96110 Incoming calls, please be sure to answer. <http://gat.fujian.gov.cn/ztzl/fjjffpzxrx/spjq/202303/t20230306_6126156.htm> (Provincial public security agency page)

Notes: Anyone claiming to be from police, prosecutors, or courts and asking you to transfer money to a “secure account” is running a scam. The law merely mandates the creation of a stop‑payment and freezing mechanism so banks can hold the funds. How much can be recovered depends on whether the money is still in the account at the time you report it. Information about the “National Anti‑Fraud Center” app and 96110 is taken from a Fujian Provincial Public Security Department page; the original page on the Ministry of Public Security’s site cannot be accessed.