Reporting a scam in China

First hour, in order

Call your bank. Call your bank's 24-hour customer service line immediately and ask staff to flag or hold the transaction; do this before or alongside calling 96110.
Stop paying. No fee, tax or "release payment" ever unlocks money that does not exist.
Screenshot everything before you delete an app, block a number or close an account.
Then report using the routes below. Reporting is slower than the bank call, and less urgent, but it is what produces enforcement.

If you are being scammed right now, or money is still moving, call the police on 110 first, then call 96110, China’s national anti-fraud hotline, run by the Ministry of Public Security, to file a report and get follow-up help. 96110 also places outbound calls and texts to people it believes are mid-scam, so if that number calls you, answer it.

Install the official “National Anti-Fraud Center” (国家反诈中心) app from the Ministry of Public Security to check suspicious numbers, submit evidence, and report a scam directly to police; the official download page is linked above. For spam texts, fraudulent or harassing phone calls, and phishing apps or websites specifically, you can also file a complaint with 12321 (010-12321) or through the 12377 illegal-content reporting center.

Separately, call your bank’s 24-hour fraud/customer-service line as soon as you notice unauthorized activity and ask them to flag or freeze the transaction, do this in parallel with, not instead of, reporting to 96110.

Where to report

National Anti-Fraud Center (国家反诈中心) / Ministry of Public Security

Open the reporting page

Phone: 96110

Also worth using

12321 Anti-Spam / Fraud Complaint Platform · 010-12321
Run by the China Internet Association under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Report spam texts, fraudulent or harassing calls, phishing apps/websites, and leaked personal data.
Illegal and Harmful Information Reporting Center
Run by the Cyberspace Administration of China. Report fraudulent online content, including scam websites and apps, under its '诈骗类' (fraud) category.

What not to do

Do not pay anyone to recover your money. No legitimate service charges an up-front fee to get stolen funds back, and people who have just been scammed are the primary market for recovery scams.
Do not use contact details the scammer gave you, not the phone number, not the "support" chat, not a link in a message. Look the agency up yourself.
Do not delete the evidence. Apps, chats, wallet addresses and transaction IDs are what make a report actionable.
Do not send one more payment. This is where most of the largest losses happen.

Sources

Agency names, URLs and phone numbers were checked on 2026-09-22. Government contact details do change, if something here is wrong, please tell us.

Successful Anti-Fraud Practice in China. Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Accessed 2026-09-22. Supports: National Anti-Fraud Center run by the Ministry of Public Security; 96110 hotline; 12381 SMS warning platform..
National Anti-Fraud Center App. Ministry of Public Security (Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Bureau). Accessed 2026-09-22. Supports: Official app for checking suspicious numbers and reporting fraud..
12321 Complaint Platform. China Internet Association (commissioned by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology). Accessed 2026-09-22. Supports: Reporting channel and phone number for spam, fraudulent calls, and phishing..
12377 Illegal and Harmful Information Reporting Center. Cyberspace Administration of China. Accessed 2026-09-22. Supports: National reporting center for fraudulent and other harmful online content..
Complete Anti-Scam Guide for China. ScamLens. Accessed 2026-09-22. Supports: Confirms 110 for police emergencies and general practical reporting steps alongside 96110/12321..