ScamsNOW!

The SCARS Institute Magazine about Scam Victims-Survivors, Scams, Fraud & Cybercrime

China Cracks Down On Scammers – Chinese & Indonesia Police Arrests 88 Sextortion Scammers In Indonesia

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

The Chinese Police And The Indonesian Police Carry Out International Law Enforcement Cooperation Successfully Arresting 88 Fraud Suspects Engaged In Cross-Border Sextortion Scams

To effectively enforce the directives laid out in the Chinese national conference addressing emerging illegal activities within telecommunications networks, specifically focusing on the severe crackdown of cross-border fraud crimes in accordance with both Chinese and international law, the Chinese and Indonesian police have actively engaged in cooperative law enforcement efforts.

Recently, a significant victory was achieved as a large-scale criminal organization involved in cross-border extortion via explicit online video chats was dismantled in Batam, Indonesia. This operation resulted in the successful apprehension of 88 suspects linked to a telecom network fraud, marking a pivotal triumph in the fight against cross-border extortion schemes.

The Chinese Ministry of Public Security has been diligently orchestrating in-depth research and analysis of numerous cases involving explicit online video chat extortion (sextortion,) especially within Beijing and Shandong. After an exhaustive process of tracing and thorough investigation, a specialized task force identified the operational centers of these fraudulent activities in Indonesia, thereby pinpointing several potential suspects. On August 8, 2023, the Ministry of Public Security dispatched a delegation led by law enforcement personnel from various public security agencies in Beijing, Shandong, and other regions to Indonesia. With robust support and coordination from the Chinese embassy in Indonesia, they initiated a cooperative effort with the Indonesian police to combat telecommunications network fraud.

Following the acquisition of substantial criminal evidence and facts pertaining to these unlawful activities, the Indonesian police, on August 23, 2023, executed the first phase of a concentrated operation targeting a major telecommunications network fraud hub (scam call center) deeply entrenched in Batam, Indonesia.

This operation resulted in the apprehension of 88 suspects associated with telecom network fraud, and the seizure of more than 29 computers, over 88 mobile phones, an abundance of bank cards, and various tools used in the commission of these crimes. Preliminary investigations revealed that this criminal syndicate was responsible for over 80 cases of explicit online video chat extortion across multiple regions in China. Further investigations into these cases are currently underway. The Indonesian police have agreed to extradite these suspects to China, and the Ministry of Public Security is in the process of organizing the necessary law enforcement personnel to escort approximately 200 suspects back to China in the near future.

In recent years, explicit online video chat sextortion crimes have exhibited an alarming rise, making them one of the most pernicious categories of telecommunications network relationship scams/fraud. Perpetrators entice unsuspecting individuals by posting explicit content on popular dating platforms, live-streaming platforms, and online forums. They persuade victims to add them as contacts and subsequently dispatch a Trojan app to download/pilfer personal information from their mobile devices, such as address books. Subsequently, they engage victims in explicit video chats, often employing female presenters or pornographic videos to manipulate victims (usually men) into engaging in sexually explicit conduct. These encounters are secretly recorded, and the perpetrators employ the resulting explicit videos as blackmail to extort money from victims. Many victims succumb to this sextortion, driven by concerns about their reputation and the fear of exposure. Some victims, trapped in a web of deceit, are coerced into borrowing significant sums from online loan platforms and accumulating substantial debts. Tragically, the psychological toll inflicted on victims has led some to contemplate or commit suicide, resulting in grave consequences and negative societal impacts.

A representative from the Ministry emphasized the enduring commitment of law enforcement agencies to maintain relentless pressure on translational organized scam/fraud crimes. They are steadfast in their resolve to bolster international law enforcement cooperation, launching an aggressive campaign against overseas fraud groups. This resolute stance aims to significantly reduce the incidence of such crimes, ultimately safeguarding the well-being and assets of the general populace worldwide.

Source: Chinese Ministry of Public Security

SCARS Resources:

For New Victims of Relationship Scams newvictim.AgainstScams.org
Subscribe to SCARS Newsletter newsletter.againstscams.org
Sign up for SCARS professional support & recovery groups, visit support.AgainstScams.org
Find competent trauma counselors or therapists, visit counseling.AgainstScams.org
Become a SCARS Member and get free counseling benefits, visit membership.AgainstScams.org
Report each and every crime, learn how to at reporting.AgainstScams.org
Learn more about Scams & Scammers at RomanceScamsNOW.com and ScamsNOW.com
Global Cyber Alliance ACT Cybersecurity Tool Website: Actionable Cybersecurity Tools (ACT) (globalcyberalliance.org)
Self-Help Books for Scam Victims are at shop.AgainstScams.org
Donate to SCARS and help us help others at donate.AgainstScams.org
Worldwide Crisis Hotlines: International Suicide Hotlines – OpenCounseling : OpenCounseling
Campaign To End Scam Victim Blaming – 2024 (scamsnow.com)

-/ 30 /-

What do you think about this?
Please share your thoughts in a comment below!

More ScamsNOW.com Articles

Fake Empowerment and Why It Keeps You Stuck and What Real Strength Looks Like – 2025

Post-Trauma Human: How Scam Victimization Mutates the Self – 2025

Thought-Terminating Cliches – How What You and Others Say Stops Critical Thinking and Recovery for Scam Victims – 2025

Problems and Opportunities – Thoughts on Psychological Reframing – 2025

Opening Pandora’s Box: How a Romance Scam Unleashes What You Never Expected – 2025

Ho’oponopono is an Ancient Hawaiian Practice of Reconciliation and Forgiveness – 2025

Inner Negotiator – How Procrastination and Mental Bargaining Sabotage Scam Victim Recovery – 2025

Mono no Aware 物の哀れ – The Sadness of Letting Go – 2025

-/ 30 /-

What do you think about this?
Please share your thoughts in a comment above!

SCARS LINKS: AgainstScams.org RomanceScamsNOW.com ContraEstafas.org ScammerPhotos.com Anyscam.com ScamsNOW.com

reporting.AgainstScams.org support.AgainstScams.org membership.AgainstScams.org donate.AgainstScams.org shop.AgainstScams.org

youtube.AgainstScams.org linkedin.AgainstScams.org facebook.AgainstScams.org

ARTICLE RATING

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Chinese Police And The Indonesian Police Carry Out International Law Enforcement Cooperation Successfully Arresting 88 Fraud Suspects Engaged In Cross-Border Sextortion Scams
SCARS Resources:
More:
SCARS Institute™ ScamsNOW Magazine
Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. [SCARS]

CATEGORIES

MOST POPULAR COMMENTED ARTICLES

POPULAR ARTICLES

U.S. & Canada Suicide Lifeline 988

ARTICLE META

Published On: September 21st, 2023Last Updated: September 21st, 2023Categories: Uncategorized0 CommentsTotal Views: 754Daily Views: 1710 words3.6 min read

WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT LATEST SITE COMMENTS

See Comments for this Article at the Bottom of the Page

on Scam Victims’ Responsibilities – 2021 [Updated 2025]: “Thank you for this article. As I continue my journey, I focus on the here and now and let the…” Jun 21, 16:26
on Scam Victims Avoid Or Escape The Aftermath Of Scams – How Denial And Distraction Avoid Confronting Reality – 2024: “In the earliest days after my crime I felt powerless, helpless and weak. I had been through so much in…” Jun 21, 14:46
on Problems and Opportunities – Thoughts on Psychological Reframing – 2025: “An article that really helped me look at the problems in my life from a different point of view and…” Jun 21, 14:42
on Scam Victims Avoid Or Escape The Aftermath Of Scams – How Denial And Distraction Avoid Confronting Reality – 2024: “Thank you for another great article! This discussion of avoidance and other tactics some can use to deny the existence…” Jun 17, 12:20
on Helping Scam Victims Understand The Social Isolation Risks After A Relationship Scam – 2024: “This article very informatively shows the risk of social isolation especially after a scam. Although I can acknowledge the list…” Jun 17, 11:31
on Do Scam Victims Become Cynics After Their Scam Experience? 2023: “I have long held the belief that I am more a realist than a cynic. I believe that together we…” Jun 17, 11:11
on Magical Thinking – How Biased & Delusional Thinking Enslaves Scam Victims: “I fell for the allure of having a friendship with the celebrity that was impersonated in my crime. I didn’t…” Jun 17, 10:14
on Rebuilding Trust: The Scam Victim’s Journey from Victimhood to Empowerment – 2024: “Trusting is still very much a work in progress for me, both in myself and my judgment of others who…” Jun 12, 23:30
on Words & Text Manipulation – The Secret Manipulation Technique Even Scammers Don’t Know About But Use – 2025: “This was triggering for me. It completely explains how my scam played out, with each step, including the final message.…” Jun 9, 23:18
on Toxic Self-Narratives That Feeds Depression in Scam Victims 2023: “Very informative article on negative self talk. I ran into this subject back in February. I had called the company…” Jun 9, 19:29
on Learning And The Challenges That A Scam Victim Faces From Trauma And Related Cognitive Effects – 2024: “For months after the scam ended I couldn’t process and/or retain much of anything I read. When I first joined…” Jun 9, 16:20
on Maitri – Loving Kindness in Buddhist Philosophy Applied to Scam Victims – 2025: “I loved this article. I will take any and all suggestions on how to be kinder to myself so I…” Jun 9, 15:36
on Scam Victim Remorse – 2025: “Very well said” Jun 9, 00:27
on Scam Victim Remorse – 2025: “This is a very complicated issue. I haven’t arrived at the place of self-trust yet. I’m learning more every day…” Jun 8, 23:44
on The Butterfly Effect And Scam Victims – 2024: “As a victim who doesn’t have a lot of recovery and healing time under their belt (8 months), I hadn’t…” Jun 6, 21:19
on Faith And Why It Matters In Scam Victim Recovery – 2024: “This article validates all that I felt in the first few months after the scam ended. I had zero faith…” Jun 6, 20:31
on Reclaiming Your Worth: A Scam Survivor’s Guide to Navigating Your Worthiness After a Scam – 2023: “I feel that I’m in the place of rediscovering my worthiness these last few days. I have days when I’m…” Jun 4, 21:20
on Motivation & Scam Victims – 2024: “This article further drives home that although the initial mistake was mine (answering a dm from a stranger), the entirety…” Jun 4, 21:02
on Scam Victims Editing Their Stories To Promote Recovery From Scams 2024: “Throughout my studies in this survivor school I’ve learned that I owned and used the courage to break contact with…” Jun 4, 16:37
on Depression: People Often Cannot Recognize That They Have It – 2024: “I experience some symptoms of depression, this article thoughtfully points out that there could be symptoms I’m missing. I am…” Jun 4, 15:58

Important Information for New Scam Victims

Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
SCARS Institute now offers a free recovery program at www.SCARSeducation.org
Please visit www.ScamPsychology.org – to more fully understand the psychological concepts involved in scams and scam victim recovery

If you are looking for local trauma counselors, please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org

If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Statement About Victim Blaming

Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and not to blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and help victims avoid scams in the future. At times, this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims; we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.

These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens, and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.

Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org

SCARS INSTITUTE RESOURCES:

If You Have Been Victimized By A Scam Or Cybercrime

♦ If you are a victim of scams, go to www.ScamVictimsSupport.org for real knowledge and help

♦ Enroll in SCARS Scam Survivor’s School now at www.SCARSeducation.org

♦ To report criminals, visit https://reporting.AgainstScams.org – we will NEVER give your data to money recovery companies like some do!

♦ Follow us and find our podcasts, webinars, and helpful videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RomancescamsNowcom

♦ Learn about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org

♦ Dig deeper into the reality of scams, fraud, and cybercrime at www.ScamsNOW.com and www.RomanceScamsNOW.com

♦ Scam Survivor’s Stories: www.ScamSurvivorStories.org

♦ For Scam Victim Advocates visit www.ScamVictimsAdvocates.org

♦ See more scammer photos on www.ScammerPhotos.com

You can also find the SCARS Institute on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and TruthSocial

Psychology Disclaimer:

All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only

The information provided in this and other SCARS articles are intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.

Note about Mindfulness: Mindfulness practices have the potential to create psychological distress for some individuals. Please consult a mental health professional or experienced meditation instructor for guidance should you encounter difficulties.

While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.

Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.

If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.

Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here

If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair, please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.