Man Loses Over 800,000 Yuan to "Shopping Card Fund Unfreezing" Scam; Police Recover Over 230,000 Yuan After 400+ Days of Investigation

A common telecom scam involving “shopping card unfreezing funds” caused Mr. Li to lose over 800,000 yuan. Confronted with an almost untraceable anonymous gift card money laundering chain, Yang Nanwei, a police officer from Guanghua Police Station, Qingyang District, Chengdu, raced against time and successfully froze and recovered more than 230,000 yuan of the stolen funds.

Red Star News learned that the day before yesterday, the victim, Mr. Li, presented a banner to the dedicated “Light Seeker” police officer.

Citizens present a banner to the police

By the end of 2024, Mr. Li, a manager at a Chengdu store, was targeted by a telecom scam. The scammers claimed that “funds need to be frozen and unblocked using shopping cards,” and persuaded him to send photos of shopping cards with a total face value of over 800,000 yuan that he handled. These anonymous cards were instantly dumped into online black markets, exchanged multiple times, and circulated across many parts of the country, making traditional asset recovery efforts extremely challenging.

After receiving the report, Yang Nanwei from Guanghua Police Station immediately initiated a freeze and stop-payment procedure. However, he faced thousands of complex transaction records. Preliminary checks revealed that among the thousands of involved shopping cards, only 366 had not been fully spent and still had remaining balances that could be traced. Behind each card, there might be an ordinary purchaser unaware of its source.

The path to recovering stolen assets was fraught with difficulties. To prove that these circulating cards were stolen property, Yang needed to clarify the transfer history of each card and, according to legal regulations, investigate whether the final holders were “bona fide purchasers.” This required extensive evidence collection and communication work.

“Hello, this is Qingyang District Branch of Chengdu Public Security Bureau…” Yang repeated this opening line over a thousand times. Calls were often abruptly hung up or misunderstood and cursed. He once took advantage of a business trip to Beijing, carrying a stack of verification lists and working for days, with few willing to cooperate. On his desk, court feedback materials used to verify ownership disputes piled up over half a meter high.

Police case handling

Faced with advice from others, Yang remained calm and turned to the next case file: “For victims, even one penny less recovered cannot be considered ‘close enough.’” He insisted on establishing a rapid verification mechanism with card companies and, based on legal documents, coordinated with police in multiple regions to assist with home visits and explanations, gradually building the evidence chain.

A turning point came in January 2026. After completing the final verification of all “disputed funds,” Yang solemnly signed the confirmation document. After more than 400 days of arduous efforts, a decisive result was achieved: the remaining over 230,000 yuan on 366 shopping cards was successfully frozen, and all legal procedures were completed, allowing full restitution to Mr. Li.

Recently, when Mr. Li returned to Guanghua Police Station and received the restitution list from the officers, he was overwhelmed with emotion. He and his family presented a banner expressing gratitude to Yang Nanwei. The investigation into other clues related to this case is still ongoing.

The police remind the public to stay vigilant against typical telecom scams such as “high rebates” and “fund unfreezing,” and to be cautious with online shopping cards or products from unknown sources that seem suspiciously cheap. Always verify the source before trading to avoid financial loss and legal risks.

Red Star News Reporter Dai Jiajia

Editor Li Yuyi