Officials call for better tools to fight cyber fraud

Wuhan: The deaths of two young people who were scammed by telecom fraudsters is providing greater urgency for computer experts meeting in Wuhan for Cybersecurity Week.

A senior official called on Chinese internet enterprises to take greater effort against telecom scams through greater technological innovation.

While warning users is important, it also is crucial that there are more technical safeguards, “as they can better combat online crimes, including telecom fraud and theft of privacy”, said Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Liu, who is also deputy head of the Central Internet Security and Informatisation Leading Group, spoke at the opening ceremony for the event, held by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s top internet watchdog, in the capital of Hubei province.

Zhou Hongyi, chairman of Qihoo 360, China’s largest security software provider, said no one wants more cases like the two tragic deaths in Shandong province, “so it is urgent to take more action”.

In August, the two young adults in Linyi died after being scammed, causing an outpouring of sympathy and ire from the public.

Xu Yuyu, 18, who was about to enter college, died of a heart attack after she was cheated out of 9,900 yuan (RM6,130) in a call. The money was what her financially strapped family had raised for her tuition.

Song Zhenning died from cardiac arrest, five days after being swindled out of 2,000 (RM1,240), his living expenses at college for three months. — China Daily / Asia News Network