91 arrested over telecom fraud in South China

HAIKOU -- Police in South China's Hainan province have arrested 91 telecom and online fraud suspects, who swindled more than 3 million yuan (about $430,000) in hundreds of cases since June.

In early October, local police received a report from a male victim who said he had been cheated out of more than 7,000 yuan through telecom fraud involving a girl he met online.

According to the police, the scammers, disguised as beautiful girls, used social media to establish romantic relationships online.

After winning the trust of victims, the swindlers asked them to play certain online games and deposit money for the suspects.

Police said the gang set up a company in June in Haikou, the capital city of Hainan, and cooperated with game companies, taking 80 percent of the amount paid by the victims.

After an investigation, police caught the 91 suspects in five dens in Haikou on Nov. 13, confiscating 124 computers and over 100 mobile phones.