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National Anti-Fraud Center

National Anti-Fraud Center

国家反诈中心

Google PlayApp Store

The Ministry of Public Security's official anti-fraud app (国家反诈中心) warns you before a scam call lands, verifies suspicious texts, and lets you report fraud. Registration asks for a mainland mobile number and, for full features, Chinese real-name verification.

Before you install — what you need

This is China's official anti-fraud app, run by the police. Registering hands it your identity and broad phone permissions — decide before you install, not after.

A

Allow notifications and location

  • Grant both permissions once so alerts arrive as push notifications without opening the app.
B

You don't need a VPN

  • The app connects through Chinese servers, so alerts arrive without a VPN.
C

Know what registration asks for

  • Registration asks for a region, a mainland mobile number and its verification code, and a password. The real-name step after that asks for a name, a Chinese resident identity number, and a face scan.

Step-by-step setup

1Install the official app

- Search 国家反诈中心 in the App Store. If it doesn't appear in your region, switch your store to China temporarily. On Android, get the APK from the official site or a Chinese store.

2Grant permissions

- Allow notifications and location when prompted. Alerts then arrive as push messages in the background.

3Set your region (if asked)

- Some versions let you pick a province or city so alerts are local. Choose where you're staying.

Daily use — real scenarios

What you can do with itGet a warning call from 96110 before a scam finishes landingCheck a suspicious text against the official 12381 channelReport a scam and follow the case inside the app's own modules

If 96110 calls you

  • Answer it. A call from that number means the police think you're being worked on right now.

If a warning text arrives

  • Genuine 12381 messages carry no link and never ask for a reply. Anything that does is not from them.

If you're actually being scammed

  • Call 110 first, then use this app or 96110 to report it and keep your evidence.

Troubleshooting — common problems and what to do

Common problems foreign visitors may run into

"The app won't install from my store"
— It may be region-locked. Switch your App Store to China, or on Android use the official site APK.
"I don't understand a message"
— Copy it into a translator; the app's interface and messages are Simplified Chinese only.
"No alerts are coming"
— Check that notifications and location are allowed, and that you're in a supported region.

Need to talk to a real person?

  • During a real emergency, follow on-site officials and hotel staff. For the app itself, contact the developer through the app's help section (Chinese only).

Your backup plan

Save local emergency numbers (110 police, 119 fire, 120 ambulance) and ask your hotel for the nearest shelter. The app is an early warning, not a substitute for official instructions.

Frequently asked questions about National Anti-Fraud Center

Is this a real government app?
Yes. The store record names the criminal investigation department of the Ministry of Public Security as seller, and the copyright line reads 公安部刑事侦查局.
Can I install it without a China Apple account?
Generally no. The listing resolves on the China storefront only, so a home-country account shows nothing.
Is it on Google Play?
No. Both package ids returned a not-found page when checked, and the Android build ships through mainland stores.
Can I register with an overseas mobile?
Unconfirmed. Official install guides describe a mainland mobile and its verification message and say nothing about overseas lines, so treat this as untested.
Will a passport pass the real-name step?
Not documented. Every official walkthrough shows a name plus a Chinese resident identity number plus a face scan, and none of them mentions a travel document.
Is there an English interface?
No. The store record declares Simplified Chinese as its only language.
What does it collect?
The store privacy card lists precise location, name, email, physical address, mobile, photos or video, audio and device identifiers, and the warning module asks for contacts, messages and call log on top. Decide before you install, not after.
What should I dial if I am being scammed right now?
110 for police, 96110 for the anti-fraud warning line. A call from 96110 means the police think you are being worked on, so answer it.
Are those warning messages from 12381 real?
Yes, that channel is run jointly by the telecom ministry and the police, and a genuine warning carries no link and asks for no reply. Anything with a link is not it.
Do police actually tell visitors to install it?
Yes — provincial forces brief international students and foreign teaching staff to install it and switch on the call warning, and bilingual safety guides for foreign nationals say the same.

Sources

  • Official Official name, ministry seller line, 公安部刑事侦查局 copyright · SRC-EG-001/SRC-EG-002 App Store
  • Official Listing id, bundle id, free, Utilities · SRC-EG-001 Apple lookup
  • Official Simplified Chinese declared as the only language · SRC-EG-001/SRC-EG-002
  • Official China storefront only; absent from six foreign storefronts · SRC-EG-001/SRC-EG-004
  • Official Android package and mainland delivery; absent from Google Play · SRC-EG-003/SRC-EG-004
  • Official Developer 公安部刑侦局, operator monitoring centre, filing 京ICP备2024063955号-1A · SRC-EG-003 应用宝
  • Official guide Module set: warning, report, identity check, self-check, case assistant · SRC-EG-005/SRC-EG-006/SRC-EG-011
  • Government guide Registration: region, mainland mobile, verification message, password · SRC-EG-005 embassy walkthrough
  • Government guide Real-name step: name, resident identity number, face scan · SRC-EG-005/SRC-EG-006
  • NEEDS_DEVICE_TEST No official guide documents a passport route · SRC-EG-005/SRC-EG-006
  • NEEDS_DEVICE_TEST Overseas line acceptance not documented · SRC-EG-005/SRC-EG-009
  • Government guide Warning module needs broad handset permissions · SRC-EG-006/SRC-EG-011
  • Official Store privacy card: location, contact details, media, identifiers · SRC-EG-002
  • Official guide 96110 is the national warning and consultation line · SRC-EG-007 Fujian police
  • Government guide 12381 warning messages, no link, no reply · SRC-EG-008
  • Government guide 110 first, keep evidence, report at the station · SRC-EG-006
  • Government guide Police brief international students and foreign staff to install it · SRC-EG-009
  • Field note Bilingual guidance for foreign nationals; 12367 verification · SRC-EG-010
  • Traveler report Store reviews report failed codes and lost report history · SRC-EG-002
  • Field note In-app report and feedback route; no published visitor hotline · SRC-EG-002/SRC-EG-003

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