Editor's note: This year marks the fifth anniversary of the introduction of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. This story is the fourth in a series exploring its implementation across the country.

It may seem hard to believe, but the hardest part of many wire fraud cases is convincing the victims that they are actually being scammed, according to Xing Yunwei, a police officer in Beijing's Shijingshan district.

Xing recalled a recent case involving an elderly woman who was being scammed.

"You must listen to me now — the two recent transfers can still be recovered, but if we wait any longer, even that will be gone," he pleaded with her.

The woman had been targeted by online scammers, and the police had been alerted to over 600,000 yuan ($84,732) in abnormal transactions from her account to unknown recipients. Xing and his team worked tirelessly to prevent further losses.

For days, the woman, in her late 60s, refused to believe she was being scammed, hanging up on calls and ignoring police warnings. However, after persistent persuasion and coordination with officers across several provinces, the fraudulent investment platform was shut down, and most of the stolen funds were recovered — a hard-won success.

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"As fraud methods evolve, anti-fraud enforcement isn't just about solving cases," said Xing, a 5-year veteran. "It's about protecting the public's property, dignity and peace of mind."

Telecom and online fraud has become a global challenge, with criminals exploiting artificial intelligence and cross-border networks.

Under the guideline of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, which was introduced in November 2020, China has intensified its efforts to extinguish the blight of telecom and online fraud.

The thought requires an active response to the new demands and expectations of the people, with systematic research and planning to address prominent issues in the rule of law that are strongly voiced by the public. It also calls for the continuous enhancement of the people's sense of fulfillment, happiness and security, using the rule of law to ensure that people live and work in peace and contentment.

At this year's central conference on work related to overall law-based governance held in Beijing early this month, President Xi Jinping called for greater emphasis on safeguarding and promoting social fairness and justice.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged the full advancement of strict law enforcement.

The Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law, which took effect in December 2022, clarifies the responsibilities of government departments, telecom operators and financial institutions, providing a solid legal foundation for anti-fraud measures.

"The law ensures cross-sector and cross-regional cooperation, making law enforcement more efficient and accountable," said Ji Ying, an associate professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

Ji said that China's rule-of-law framework emphasizes "strict law enforcement" and "law enforcement for the people".

The ongoing nationwide anti-fraud effort embodies the principles that "all power belongs to the people" and "relies on the people "in the field of crime fighting.

"Modern crime prevention depends on cooperation among law enforcement departments, communities and individuals. Preventing and combating telecom fraud requires mobilizing the whole society's strength," Ji said.

With the punishment of numerous criminals and the recovery of significant economic losses for victims, the public can see the strength of China's rule of law in combating crime and its commitment to protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the people, she said.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, from 2021 to July 2025, China's public security organs solved nearly 1.74 million telecom-fraud cases, arrested 366,000 suspects, and intercepted 12.4 billion scam calls and 10.9 billion messages.

The national anti-fraud center has issued more than 20 million fund early-warning alerts, while local police have carried out face-to-face visits to prevent more than 28 million potential victims from transferring money. Joint operations with countries such as Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia have led to the apprehension of over 80,000 suspects.

Behind the numbers are real stories of safeguarding the people.

The woman in Xing's case, a retired accountant, was vulnerable due to loneliness and health issues, which allowed fraudsters to gain her trust, and ultimately her savings. Police traced her transfers to accounts of unknowing elderly women who were used as intermediaries.

Following scammers' instructions, they withdrew cash or bought gold and later handed it to couriers at locations out of the view of surveillance cameras.

"With tighter supervision and faster freezing of suspect bank accounts, scammers now exploit seniors as money mules," Xing said. "Victims often don't trust police at the beginning, so we must respond with empathy, patience and professionalism."

For Xing, "law enforcement for the people" is deeply personal. "The law offers us tools to fight crime. We follow it not just because it tells us what we can do, but also because it reminds us who we are doing it for," he said.

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He is one of the many law enforcement officers dedicated to serving the people. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, law enforcement agencies across the country are committed to effectively addressing the urgent and pressing issues faced by the public.

In the past five years, public security agencies have dismantled more than 590 mafia-style criminal organizations and over 8,900 criminal gangs, solving 105,000 related cases. They have also investigated over 512,000 cybercrime cases and resolved 492,000 economic crime cases, recovering 122.65 billion yuan in economic losses.

The Ministry of Public Security has initiated a special operation to standardize law enforcement involving businesses, targeting prominent issues to better protect the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises and operators. More than 31,000 significant criminal law enforcement issues and over 2,800 key administrative law enforcement problems have been rectified. A total of 88,000 frozen accounts have been modified or unfrozen, releasing 4.62 billion yuan in funds.

Contact the writers at yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn