China's Ministry of State Security discloses cases where perpetrators posed as national security personnel to commit crimes
Misled by folk rumors about hidden treasures, a man surnamed Zhang gathered nearly 20 people at midnight and posed as state security officers to dig for treasure after subduing park security guards sealing off the part, according to China's Ministry of State Security (MSS).
On Sunday, the official WeChat account of MSS disclosed a case in which lawbreakers exploited public trust in national security work by impersonating state security officials to carry out criminal activities.
At midnight one day, several people in camouflage uniforms printed with "On Duty" broke into a park security room in a southern Chinese city. Claiming to be state security personnel, the gang said they were on an important mission and demanded to "take over" the park until the next morning, rounding up the park security guards and confiscating their phones, according to the MSS.
During this period, four vehicles entered the park, and gang members used professional tools to dig until 2 am, who withdrew after failing to find the so-called "treasure", said the MSS.
Once freed, the guards inspected the park and found pitted ground and damaged facilities. Park managers immediately reported the situation to the national security authorities via the 12339 hotline.
After receiving the report, the national security agency swiftly teamed up with relevant departments to launch an investigation, identified the gang led by Zhang and summoning those involved. Zhang, who naively believed unfounded folk rumors of "treasure hidden in the park," assembled nearly 20 people and committed the excavation, only to find nothing of value. He is now awaiting legal punishment, according to the MSS.
Previously, the MSS has disclosed multiple cases of individuals impersonating government officials.
In February, the official WeChat account of MSS reported that Li Lin (pseudonym) had long tracked the personnel dynamics of Party and government organs, deliberately created the persona of a "leader of a special department." He falsely claimed to have strong connections and cross-provincial case-handling authority, and even leaked illegally obtained personal information to make others believe in his fabricated identity.
MSS indicated that Li lured others with promises of high profits and formed a fraud gang of more than 30 people. By forging official documents and certificates, he claimed to have major projects involving large sums of money with high rebates, deceiving many people.
In October 2024, the the ministry disclosed a case of a man surnamed Liu, an unemployed individual, who forged state security accounts, impersonated officers, and stole official logos. Discovering that the ministry's WeChat account attracted high public attention, Liu duplicated an account on an overseas social platform to promote his online gambling business and draw traffic for profit.
MSS reminded the public to be alert to personnel who claim to be from "state security authorities" but refuse to show their credentials. In such cases, people should remain calm and note key details such as physical features, accents, and vehicle information.
On the premise of ensuring personal safety, the public can report suspicious activity through the12339 national security authority report hotline, the online report platform (www.12339.gov.cn), the report channel on the WeChat official account of MSS, or directly report to the local state security authorities, noted by MSS.
Global Times
On Sunday, the official WeChat account of MSS disclosed a case in which lawbreakers exploited public trust in national security work by impersonating state security officials to carry out criminal activities.
At midnight one day, several people in camouflage uniforms printed with "On Duty" broke into a park security room in a southern Chinese city. Claiming to be state security personnel, the gang said they were on an important mission and demanded to "take over" the park until the next morning, rounding up the park security guards and confiscating their phones, according to the MSS.
During this period, four vehicles entered the park, and gang members used professional tools to dig until 2 am, who withdrew after failing to find the so-called "treasure", said the MSS.
Once freed, the guards inspected the park and found pitted ground and damaged facilities. Park managers immediately reported the situation to the national security authorities via the 12339 hotline.
After receiving the report, the national security agency swiftly teamed up with relevant departments to launch an investigation, identified the gang led by Zhang and summoning those involved. Zhang, who naively believed unfounded folk rumors of "treasure hidden in the park," assembled nearly 20 people and committed the excavation, only to find nothing of value. He is now awaiting legal punishment, according to the MSS.
Previously, the MSS has disclosed multiple cases of individuals impersonating government officials.
In February, the official WeChat account of MSS reported that Li Lin (pseudonym) had long tracked the personnel dynamics of Party and government organs, deliberately created the persona of a "leader of a special department." He falsely claimed to have strong connections and cross-provincial case-handling authority, and even leaked illegally obtained personal information to make others believe in his fabricated identity.
MSS indicated that Li lured others with promises of high profits and formed a fraud gang of more than 30 people. By forging official documents and certificates, he claimed to have major projects involving large sums of money with high rebates, deceiving many people.
In October 2024, the the ministry disclosed a case of a man surnamed Liu, an unemployed individual, who forged state security accounts, impersonated officers, and stole official logos. Discovering that the ministry's WeChat account attracted high public attention, Liu duplicated an account on an overseas social platform to promote his online gambling business and draw traffic for profit.
MSS reminded the public to be alert to personnel who claim to be from "state security authorities" but refuse to show their credentials. In such cases, people should remain calm and note key details such as physical features, accents, and vehicle information.
On the premise of ensuring personal safety, the public can report suspicious activity through the12339 national security authority report hotline, the online report platform (www.12339.gov.cn), the report channel on the WeChat official account of MSS, or directly report to the local state security authorities, noted by MSS.
Global Times
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