China's top court has vowed to intensify its crackdown on cross-border telecom fraud, releasing details of seven major cases in which key members of scam networks were given the maximum punishment allowed by law.

The Supreme People's Court on Monday urged courts nationwide to impose severe penalties on principal scammers, repeat offenders and those who exploit juveniles to commit fraud.

"Telecom fraud crimes remain frequent and are increasing, with the situation becoming more severe and complex," the court said, citing the growing prevalence of cross-border operations, organized networks and increased violence in such cases.

"These crimes have also triggered a series of related offenses, including illegal border crossings and unlawful detention, seriously endangering public safety and property," the court added.

In one case, three key members of a telecom fraud ring that targeted Chinese nationals from Cambodia were each sentenced to life in prison, the maximum penalty for fraud under Chinese criminal law.

The three men established a scam operation in early 2020 in an industrial park in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, where they recruited others to defraud residents in China. They primarily targeted financially stable women and corporate employees, the court said.

The fraudsters first added victims' phone numbers in bulk on social media platforms, posing as wealthy, attractive men to build trust. Once they gained their victims' confidence, they persuaded them to download fake investment or gambling apps controlled by the group, luring them into making deposits.

Between September 2020 and the end of 2021, the group swindled more than 100 victims out of over 100 million yuan ($13.82 million).

A court in Shanghai sentenced the three organizers to life in prison, also stripping them of their political rights for life and confiscating all their personal assets.

"This is a typical transnational fraud case in which scammers had a clear division of labor and exploited victims through fabricated friendships or romantic relationships," the top court said.

Similar fraud schemes often involve criminals carefully tailoring scams to individuals, first using affectionate language to build a bond. Once victims let their guard down, fraudsters persuade them to invest in bogus schemes, leading to both emotional and financial losses, the court said.

The Supreme People's Court endorsed the decision to impose life sentences on the three key members, warning the public to remain cautious about online relationships and the financial traps hidden behind seemingly sincere interactions.

In another case, a fraudster surnamed Yang was sentenced to three years and five months in prison by a court in Jiangxi province. He received the heaviest punishment among his three-member telecom fraud group because he was a repeat offender.

Two other scammers in Fujian province were also harshly punished for hiring teenagers to defraud victims over the phone.

China has intensified its crackdown on telecom fraud in recent years, bolstering international cooperation on the issue.

On Thursday, a group of 200 Chinese nationals suspected of involvement in telecom fraud were repatriated from Myanmar.

The same day, China's Foreign Ministry said the country is actively working with Thailand, Myanmar and other nations to combat online gambling and telecom fraud.

caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn