Beijing court calls for more efforts to protect elderly from fraud

A Beijing court has called for greater efforts to fight fraud targeting elderly people, after a number of such scam operations were smashed in recent years.

Data released on Thursday by the Beijing Dongcheng District People's Court showed that more than 40 people from six scam groups were convicted of and punished for fraud over the past three years, with most of the victims senior citizens.

The offenders often defrauded the elderly victims by organizing exhibitions or providing free health lectures and asking them to buy antiques or healthcare products, according to Ji Guangsheng, deputy chief judge of the court's criminal adjudication tribunal.

From July to November 2019, for example, a scammer surnamed Yang told 92 elderly residents living in the district that he could help them sell art at a price higher than the market value.

Yang then invited the seniors to participate in auctions, and they were told to pay commissions after signing purchase contracts. Both the auctions and contracts were fake. Yang fraudulently obtained more than 3.2 million yuan ($448,617) from his victims.

In June this year, Yang was sentenced to 12 years in prison for fraud, and fined 120,000 yuan. The court also ordered him to return the money he had fraudulently obtained to the victims.

Although efforts to stop scams targeting elderly residents have intensified this year, the court said administrative supervision still needs to be strengthened. Community committees also need to introduce new preventive measures to help seniors distinguish fraud more effectively.

Considering the scam groups sometimes operated as companies, office workers were also encouraged to report suspicious activities to public security departments and industrial and commerce agencies.