In today's anti-fraud frontline report, we uncover the latest telecom scam tactics. A seemingly lucrative gold transaction worth millions did not bring wealth to a gold store owner in Wuhan, Hubei, but instead led him to call the police for help. The story began when the owner, Mr. Wu, met a customer named Wang on a social media platform.

Mr. Wu, the gold store owner, explained that Wang wanted to purchase some gold bars. In the gold industry, payment is required upfront due to daily price fluctuations. Mr. Wu provided his bank account number, and Wang transferred 78,000 yuan, enough to buy 66 grams of gold at the day's price. However, Wang's subsequent actions raised Mr. Wu's suspicions.

After transferring 78,000 yuan, Wang claimed the money was sent by a relative. She initially took 50 grams of gold, leaving an excess of 19,000 yuan, which she asked to be kept as a deposit for future purchases. This large sum, left so casually with the seller, seemed unusual.

Following industry norms, gold sellers must verify and register the identity information of buyers for large transactions. Mr. Wu reminded Wang to bring her ID when collecting the gold. He emphasized that the bank account used for payment must match the buyer's ID or verified WeChat/Alipay account; otherwise, it would be necessary to report to the police.

Despite the reminder, Wang arrived at the store that afternoon without her ID, promising to bring it the next day. She mentioned that both her and her relative's IDs would be provided.

The next day, Wang contacted Mr. Wu again, not to deliver the IDs, but to place an even larger order. She first requested 10 grams of gold, then asked to purchase approximately 1 million yuan worth of gold—the largest single order in Mr. Wu's business history.

Faced with this unprecedented order, Mr. Wu remained cautious. He recalled several red flags: the large deposit left without concern, the use of a relative's account for payment, and the repeated failure to bring ID. These details matched money laundering tactics he had learned from community police outreach.

Mr. Wu noted that local police had regularly educated businesses on anti-fraud and anti-money laundering measures, which heightened his suspicion.

Investigators traced the source of the 78,000 yuan from the first order to a Mr. Huang in Guangdong, who had already reported being scammed. Police confirmed that Mr. Huang and Wang were not relatives, as she had claimed, exposing her lies.

To uncover the broader money laundering network, police advised Mr. Wu to maintain normal communication with Wang and delay the transaction slightly, providing time for investigation.

On the afternoon of March 2, Wang called to postpone the gold pickup, citing unexpected matters. Police initially worried she had become suspicious but instructed Mr. Wu to proceed as usual without pressing her.

On March 3, Wang arrived at the gold store as rescheduled, only to be apprehended by waiting police. Initially, she claimed to be helping a relative collect gold and denied involvement in money laundering. However, when confronted with evidence, she confessed.

Wang revealed that she had been recruited online for a so-called "poverty alleviation project." She was told that by collecting gold in person and handing it to a "poverty alleviation specialist," she would qualify for a 1.6 million yuan poverty relief fund. Police identified the "specialist" as a courier for the money laundering ring.

Authorities devised a plan: Wang would proceed to meet the "specialist" as instructed, while police set up surveillance at the agreed location. En route, Wang was directed to a different address—a seafood market—where police observed a suspicious man in a cap, photographing the area and communicating via an encrypted overseas messaging app. He was promptly detained.

The man, surnamed Li, admitted to posing as the "poverty alleviation specialist" and acting as a courier for the money laundering operation. He revealed that after receiving the gold, he was instructed to bury it at a designated construction site. This indicated the involvement of additional couriers.

Police escorted Li to the burial site, a remote area, and set up perimeter surveillance. Soon, another man was observed approaching the location, photographing the surroundings. When police moved in, he attempted to flee but was captured. He was identified as another courier sent to retrieve the gold.

Upon checking his phone, police found he had purchased a train ticket from Wuhan to Zhengzhou, Henan.

With Wang, Li, and the third suspect, Liu, in custody, the money laundering chain was dismantled. However, investigators continued to trace the source of the 1 million yuan used for the gold purchase.

The funds were traced to a Ms. Xie in Shenzhen, who had fallen victim to a "pig-butchering" scam. Fraudsters had lured her with promises of high returns, persuading her to invest continuously. Police contacted Ms. Xie, informed her of the scam, and learned that the fraudsters had attempted to convince her to invest an additional 1 million yuan. Their timely intervention prevented further loss.

The three suspects have been dealt with according to law, the involved funds have been recovered, and the process of returning the money is underway.