Security News > 2021 > June > China arrests over 1000 for using cryptocurrency to help launder proceeds of phone scams

China's crackdown on cryptocurrencies has reached a new crescendo, with the nation's Ministry of Public Security on Wednesday proclaiming it has arrested over 1000 people and shut down 170 gangs that provided crypto-linked money-laundering services.

Others are what China calls "Two cards" scammers, who funnel their ill-gotten gains to acquire phone cards that are shipped outside China, then use call credit stored in the cards to make scam calls back into the Middle Kingdom.

The proceeds of those scams are laundered using cryptocurrencies.

The Ministry therefore asserted that its actions protected China's citizens, phone networks, and the stability of its financial system, and celebrated the raids by posting the image below to its Weibo account.

China's recent crackdown on cryptocurrency mining and usage is gathering pace.

Western province Qinghai banned cryptocurrency mining within its borders, and CNBC's Beijing bureau chief Eunice Yoon has also noticed that Chinese search engines now inform users they are not permitted to offer results for searches about cryptos.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/06/11/china_crypto_crackdown_continues/