In January 2023, acting on a public tip-off, Chen, who had been posing as a national security officer to swindle people, was apprehended. Following trial by a people's court, Chen was sentenced to ten years and six months in prison and fined 200,000 yuan for fraud and for obtaining money by false pretenses.

　　Fabricated Identity: Losing Money Without Averting Disaster

　　In 2013, Chen came to Xiamen, Fujian. Having drifted through society for years, Chen's work and life had not developed in the direction he had hoped. Lazy and eager for ease, he blamed these disappointments on "lacking social status." Driven by the notion that "out in the world, your identity is what you make it," Chen thought it over and decided to impersonate a national security officer—first, because the role was mysterious and hard to expose, and second, because it made it easier to win respect.

　　In February 2022, Chen began operating in society under the so-called identity of "Director of the Ninth Division of the Xiamen Municipal State Security Bureau." In November of the same year, a fishing boat owner surnamed Yang was introduced to Chen, who claimed to be "well-connected," and asked him to "smooth over relations" so that he could quickly recover his boat, which had been seized and impounded for illegal electrofishing. Although Chen demanded a hefty "relationship fee" of 200,000 yuan, after Yang remitted the full amount, he was still transferred for prosecution on suspicion of illegally fishing aquatic products.

　　Also defrauded was a businessman surnamed Lin, who had been detained for gambling. Chen promised Lin's family that he could help "coordinate" release on bail pending trial and secure "special consideration," swindling a total of 1.55 million yuan. In addition, Chen used the same tactics to defraud large sums of money and valuables—including bird's nest and premium liquor—from Xu, Li, and others.

　　"Leave it to me, don't worry!" Chen's confident promises to inquire into case details and coordinate relationships were merely clumsy lies concocted to cheat others out of money and valuables. The victims, wary of Chen's "status" and not entirely innocent themselves, could only count themselves unlucky.

　Too Deep in the Role: Taking the Fall Without Regret

　　To substantiate his "national security officer" identity, Chen not only frequently wore a Party badge but repeatedly claimed to be handling official business, having friends park their cars near government offices to create the illusion that he worked in an official institution.

　　In January 2022, a businessman named A-Qing met Chen through a friend. In October of that year, Chen approached A-Qing, claiming that a project could yield high returns but that technical investment was required first. Bewitched by his rhetoric, A-Qing not only set up an internet company for Chen to carry out criminal activities but also introduced his friends Xiao Pan, Xiao Fang, and others to Chen. Deceived by Chen, they all became his loyal "followers." Xiao Fang in particular was caught while conducting illegal transactions for Chen at the aforementioned internet company and was held legally accountable. Yet under Chen's sweet talk, Xiao Fang still believed he was carrying out a "secret mission" for the state and would receive dividends after the case concluded—even after "taking the fall," he remained convinced of Chen's identity.

　　In the elaborate scam Chen designed, more and more victims emerged. By the time the case was uncovered, Chen had defrauded nearly 20 people of 3.1 million yuan, all of which he spent on personal consumption and had squandered almost entirely.

　　Spending Lavishly: Weaving a False "Web of Love"

　　Having found his "way to make money," Chen's life grew increasingly extravagant. Beyond defrauding people of money, he also set his sights on young women. Within a year, he simultaneously won the trust of three female victims and even used them to facilitate his crimes.

　　Because "money came quickly," the tea Chen drank cost hundreds of thousands of yuan per jin, and he would casually top up hundreds of thousands of yuan at a tea shop. After tea artist Xiao Jie met Chen, her sales performance ranked near the top of the shop. During their time together, Chen often showed Xiao Jie the "case files" he claimed to be "investigating," some of whose folders were marked "Confidential," to prove he was a staff member of a state security organ. Thus Xiao Jie, blinded by Chen's "special status" and lavish behavior, fell step by step into the trap he had woven.

　　Internet streamer Xiao Wen met Chen at a gathering. Chen said he was single and worked in judicial affairs, but that the nature of his work was confidential. Not long afterward, the two established a romantic relationship. During their time together, Chen deliberately revealed content such as "police cars" and "official documents" in videos, leading Xiao Wen to believe her boyfriend was an "influential public official," and her affection for him grew by the day.

　　In the "web of love" Chen painstakingly wove, Xiao Wen not only rented a larger apartment to live with Chen but also had her brother come from their hometown in Henan to Xiamen to serve as Chen's unpaid driver. There was even a female netizen he had never met who was willing to provide shell companies and straw-man accounts for Chen's fraud.

　Tips from the National Security Organ

　　The net of justice is wide and misses nothing. National security officers are an important part of the Chinese people's police force, loyal guardians of the Party and the people, and unsung heroes willing to make sacrifices—their sacred status must not be desecrated. Impersonating state security organs and their staff, illegally possessing or using police insignia, uniforms, equipment, and credentials, and committing fraud and other illegal and criminal acts will all be severely punished under the law.

　　National security organs always exercise their powers and perform their duties strictly in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. When national security officers carry out official tasks and require necessary support and assistance from citizens and organizations, they will proactively present their law enforcement credentials, identify themselves, and carry out their work in accordance with the law and regulations. As for those who impersonate national security officers to swindle and extort, the general public should keep their eyes open, stay vigilant, proactively report leads, and guard against being deceived.