Photo: Screenshot from CCTV News

Mobile payment, bus card, electronic key… The application of NFC, while bringing convenience, has also nurtured a new type of fraud scam — using near-field technology that allows data exchange within 10 centimeters. The scam has emerged in multiple regions, enabling criminals to remotely skim funds from bank cards and steal personal information, Chinese authorities warned on Tuesday. 

NFC, or near field communication, is a short-range wireless technology that enables devices to exchange data quickly when within about 10 centimeters of each other. This very "close-proximity" feature has led many people to assume it is relatively safe. However, fraudsters are exploiting this misconception to create highly deceptive scams.  

Common scam scripts typically begin with fraudsters posing as customer service representatives—falsely claiming flight cancellations with refunds and compensation, accidental membership activations needing cancellation, or financial platform refunds, according to a reminder released by the WeChat account of the National Administration of State Secrets Protection.

After gaining initial trust, scammers guide victims to download suspicious apps or allow remote control of their phone via screen-sharing. They then trick victims into enabling NFC and holding their bank card near the phone—in that instant, card details are skimmed, linked to fake payment tools, and funds transferred.

Notably, such scams have become highly professional and scenario-driven, authorities said. Fraudsters leverage illegally obtained personal data and exploit small-amount password-free payment features, completing unauthorized transactions without victims entering passwords, with many only discovering the losses afterward.

Meanwhile, victims' phones are often fully taken over. Malicious apps request access to contacts, messages, location, and other key permissions, while screen-sharing allows scammers to view screens in real time and obtain verification codes and passwords. A single scam can easily lead to the complete exposure of personal information, the reminder said.

Worse still, once information is leaked, the data can be resold multiple times, used for targeted scams, fake account registrations, money laundering, and other criminal activities. It may even cause long-term damage to personal credit records and digital security, creating a lasting and hidden threat.

Facing new NFC-based scams, authorities reminded the public not to trust calls from strangers offering "refunds" or "compensation"; not to click unknown links or download suspicious apps; and not to enable screen-sharing.

They also recommended keeping NFC turned off in daily use and enabling it only when needed, disabling password-free small transactions, and minimizing exposure of personal information, according to the reminder.

Global Times