Shi Zha Tong visual guides 01 / Scam operations

Scams operate as a chain of specialised roles

Different people work together, from first contact to collecting money.

Different people work together, from first contact to collecting money.
Conceptual illustration, not real people, a crime scene or investigative evidence.
  1. 1

    Outreach and data

    Ads, social media and personal data create contact opportunities.

  2. 2

    Scripts and platforms

    False identities and fabricated screens create credibility.

  3. 3

    Cash collection

    Money is collected through transfers, withdrawals or in-person handovers.

  4. 4

    Moving funds

    Funds change hands, making tracing and interception harder.

Warning signs

Several callers do not mean several independent agencies have confirmed the story.

Protective action

Verify again whenever the person, platform or payment method changes.

Open sources and scope

Based on official advice and cases. The four stages are simplified for teaching; roles and order differ between cases and do not establish wrongdoing by any particular person or service.

Criminal Investigation Bureau: engineers, financiers and transfer couriers (new tab)

Survey and livestream scenarios include risk analysis. Citations do not mean official approval of every statement. Edited: 1 October 2026.