Be Cautious: These Deceptive Apps Exposed!
Recently, the Information Communication Industry Anti-Cybercrime Center (ICAC) under the China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) released an official WeChat article exposing several deceptive apps. The content was also republished by the Public Security Bureau's Criminal Investigation Department's official WeChat account.
According to the report, as telecommunications network fraud methods continue to evolve and diversify, these deceptive apps often disguise themselves in various forms that are extremely misleading. The ICAC has compiled a list of recent high-risk deceptive apps to help users quickly identify and avoid falling prey to scams.
These deceptive apps, which have been exposed recently, include "Tencent Payment," "Douyin's Charity Wallet," "360 Borrow," "Meituan's No-Man Delivery," "JD's Community," etc. These apps pretend to be legitimate and use big-name Internet platforms as cover for their fraudulent activities.
In May, the MIIT's Anti-Fraud Special Task Force announced that it had received reports of a fraudulent app called "Tencent Payment." The report revealed that scammers used Tencent's name to lure users into investing in virtual currencies and stealing their personal information.
The ICAC reminds the public to strengthen their awareness and spread this anti-fraud guide to jointly build a defense line against fraud. Many institutions have been continuously fighting fake apps, including banks, securities companies, and online payment platforms.
For example, on March 20th, the Lanzhou Public Security Bureau's WeChat account exposed a case where an individual downloaded a fraudulent app called "Fangxin" after being lured by a fake China Bank employee. The individual was convinced to buy digital renminbi and repeatedly replenish their funds.
On February 25th, the UnionPay's official website published a stern declaration stating that it had discovered a fraudulent app called "UnionPay Meeting APP" on the internet. The app was designed to steal users' sensitive information and funds.
The ICAC warns that these fake apps often pretend to be financial institutions or employees, claiming to possess insider information or market loopholes that can generate quick profits. The public should be cautious when encountering such apps and verify their authenticity with official customer service or websites.
The ICAC also provides three tips for identifying fake websites:
Firstly, check the domain name suffix. Legitimate financial institutions typically use .com or .cn domains, such as icbc.com.cn.
Secondly, check the port number. The default ports for financial websites are usually 80 (http) or 443 (https), and these ports will be automatically omitted when accessed through a browser.
Thirdly, check the certificate. Most legitimate financial institutions use OV certificates to encrypt data transmission, which have higher credibility and cost than DV certificates.