Phishing Scams Impersonating Mobile Carriers Lure Victims with Fake Points and Counterfeit Goods

How the Scam Works

Fraudsters impersonate major Chinese telecom carriers by sending mass SMS messages claiming points are about to expire. Messages include misleading labels like "Yi Ka Manager" or "Yi Lian User" and contain links to phishing websites.

How to Spot Fake Sites

Fake Points Display

Every user who accesses these sites sees the same fixed points total (e.g., 716,800 points), regardless of their actual account status. This number is pre-programmed and has no connection to a user's real points balance or account history.

Deceptive Official Appearance

Sites are designed to closely mimic legitimate telecom company pages, using slogans like "Use points like cash" and "Autumn mega sales." However, the domain names are unrecognizable (e.g., cmoo86.cn) with no legitimate business registration or affiliation with telecom companies.

Misleading Payment Rules

While browsing products, sites advertise "full points redemption" and "exclusive points benefits." At checkout, the rules suddenly change to "points cover only part of the cost; you must pay cash for the remainder." In reality, every item requires 300-1,000 yuan in cash payment.

Product Quality Issues

Items shipped are severely counterfeit or substandard:

• Smartphones: Fake models like "M80Pro" or "i17ProMax" posing as Huawei or Apple phones. Many are refurbished or display models that won't power on.
• Jewelry: Counterfeit versions of legitimate brands using cheap alloy with gold plating that tarnishes and oxidizes quickly.
• Alcohol: Products labeled "Guizhou Moutai Town Liquor" or "Fei Moutai Prince" that mimic Moutai packaging but are counterfeit liquids from small workshops.
• Electronics and Other Items: Generic products with no brand, manufacturer information, or quality guarantees.

Post-Purchase Problems

Victims frequently report:

• Customer service becomes unresponsive after payment
• Websites shut down or become inaccessible
• Promised items are never shipped or wrong items arrive
• Return and warranty promises are not honored

These sites lack business licenses, brick-and-mortar locations, and legitimate customer service infrastructure.

Criminal Organizations Behind the Scams

Payment processing reveals multiple backend companies: Yue Bai Xing, Guangxi Tao You Hui Network Technology, Guangxi Yi Tong Super Value Select Network Technology, Guangxi Yi Tong You Li Network Technology, and Xiamen Fang Shu Engine Technology. All are small-scale operations registered at residential addresses. Despite different operators, multiple phishing sites share nearly identical layouts, indicating organized replication and template reuse.

How to Protect Yourself

Verify Messages

• If you receive an SMS from a telecom carrier, check your points balance directly through the official app or website—never click links in messages.
• Legitimate carriers never complete important transactions solely through SMS links.

Identify Fake Websites

• Examine domain names carefully. Official sites use company names in English (e.g., chinamobile.com). Suspicious signs include unfamiliar domains, mixed-case letters, and number-heavy names.
• Check for SSL certificates (URLs beginning with "https://"), though note that some fraudulent sites also use SSL.
• Cross-check product prices by searching independently; scam sites often underprice items significantly.

Before Making Purchases

• Access the site from multiple devices. If points totals are identical across devices, they are likely fake.
• Verify that the site displays legitimate business registration, address, and phone number.
• Search for company information and customer reviews before proceeding to checkout.

Where to Report

• Police: File an official fraud report.
• Payment Platforms: Report the transaction immediately to Alipay or WeChat Pay for dispute resolution and potential refunds.
• Telecom Company: Notify the impersonated carrier that fraudsters are using their name.