A guard presents the QR code for installing an anti-fraud app before entering an exhibition centre in Shenzhen. Photo: Yujie Xue
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https://scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3177779/china-mobile-sets-overseas-call-sms-blocking-service-telecoms Politics
China Mobile sets up overseas call, SMS blocking service as telecoms fraud crackdown deepens
- Some users reportedly urged to confirm if they would like to receive overseas calls or texts, or these would be blocked
- Notices in at least three provinces come as China continues crackdown on phone scams
China’s public security ministry said it blocked 1.95 billion spam calls and 2.14 billion text messages in the past year. Photo: AFP
Major service provider China Mobile has set up a new system to block overseas calls as the country intensifies its crackdown on telecoms fraud.
A China Mobile user in Zhejiang province said he received a message from the operator giving him an option to block spam messages.
This came after the provincial branch of China Mobile reportedly sent a message to some subscribers, requiring them to confirm by May 20 if they would like to receive overseas calls. Users who did not register would be blocked from receiving calls from overseas as well as Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, online news portal ithome.com reported.
Another online media outlet, lanjinger.com, said China Mobile’s Zhejiang branch had confirmed the news and said they would notify customers gradually via SMS.
But several Zhejiang customers said they were yet to receive the notice.
Phone calls to China Mobile’s Zhejiang branch went unanswered on Saturday.
Ithome.com previously reported China Mobile’s branches in Hebei and Henan provinces had said they would block overseas messages.
China Mobile’s Hebei branch notified users that overseas SMS receiving services would be suspended from May 5, and those who wished to continue getting them should apply separately.
The notices come as China intensifies its efforts to curb telecoms fraud. In April, the number of such cases had declined for more than nine months, according to the Ministry of Public Security.
The ministry said it blocked 1.95 billion spam calls and 2.14 billion text messages in the past year, as well as 2 million websites suspected of fraudulent activities.