8 Do not get yourself ruined: law and property safety

The person who flees bears full responsibility for the accident. Only if you can prove the other driver also acted negligently might that responsibility be reduced. Fleeing also results in revocation of your driver’s license, and if the hit-and-run amounts to a crime you can never apply for a license again. If the incident meets the criteria for a traffic-related crime, fleeing can lead to a sentence of 3 to 7 years; if someone dies because of it, the sentence is 7 years or more. Insurance won’t help either: in commercial auto insurance, both collision damage coverage and third-party liability cover exclude any claims arising from “hit-and-run,” “intentional tampering with or falsifying the scene,” or “destruction of evidence,” leaving you to pay the compensation, hundreds of thousands of yuan, yourself (nationwide).

Law enforcement has the authority to instantly query, urgently stop-pay, and swiftly freeze any funds linked to a scam. Banks and payment services must cooperate. Once frozen, those funds are returned to victims according to established procedures. The sooner a stop-payment is ordered, the higher the chance of recovery; after the money has been dispersed, success rates drop dramatically. 96110 is the nationwide anti-fraud hotline; calls from this number are police warnings, so you must answer them. (Nationwide, effective December 2022)

The law requires the government and the relevant departments to explain the methods of telecom and online fraud to the public. Public security organs, together with the financial, telecom and cyberspace authorities, run an early-warning and dissuasion system and step in to dissuade people who may be about to be scammed. 96110 is this nationwide early-warning hotline, so answer its calls. The Ministry of Public Security announced in June 2026 that the 10 most common types of fraud made up 85% of all telecom fraud cases. Order-brushing rebates were the most frequent, at 25%. Fake online investment and wealth management caused the largest losses, about 40% of all losses. The Fujian Provincial Public Security Department breaks down the signs of each type as follows. Order-brushing rebates: “whoever calls you to make money together is probably trying to make money off you”; if the tasks are never finished, the principal is not refunded. Fake investment: “shills” in the group show off their profits, pay you a small rebate first, then get you to put in more, and ask for “tax” before you can withdraw. Online loans: “a loan does not require a deposit or bank statements; if you meet that, it must be fake.” Customer service impersonation: they say you signed up for a membership that will be charged automatically and hurt your credit record, and push you to transfer money to cancel it. These scammers often have you download a “some-meeting” app and then turn on screen sharing. Once you share, “message pop-ups, SMS verification codes, password entry and so on can all be seen clearly” on your phone. The warning from the Shanghai anti-fraud center: “Anything that mentions a ‘meeting ID’, ‘screen sharing’ or ‘remote control’ is a scam.” Police, prosecutor and court impersonation: “the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs have no so-called ‘safe account’; any ‘public security, procuratorial or judicial organ’ that handles a case or takes a statement by phone, QQ, WeChat or online is a scam.” Abroad, scammers also pose as embassies and consulates, saying you are suspected of money laundering, have important documents to collect, or have a problem with your passport or visa, and then transfer the call to “police” in China. The Chinese embassy in the US warned students in particular: “Anyone who claims to be staff of an embassy or consulate, a carrier, customs and so on, and on suspicion of a crime transfers the call to the public security organs, is a scammer!” Pig-butchering: “do not easily trust a ‘lover’ you have never met and have only seen in photos or video”; they never video-call or meet, yet often have an urgent need for money. Seduction order-brushing: they arrange to meet but first make you do “tasks”, and you pay more and more. Spotting them beforehand is much cheaper than stopping payment afterwards. How much a payment stop can recover depends on whether the money is still in the account when you report. How to stop payment is in item 2 (call 110 or 96110 to ask for a payment stop) (nationwide, from December 2022)

The Cybersecurity Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security has outlined three key measures. First is motion verification: ask the other party to perform a smooth head-turn motion, or to completely cover their face with a palm and then remove it quickly. The original text notes that current AI technology still struggles to accurately simulate such complex facial occlusions and lighting changes, often resulting in choppy, blurry, or distorted images. Second is listening for audio cues: AI-generated voices sometimes lack natural breathing pauses or emotional variation, and may sound slightly mechanical or contain unusual background noise. Third and most important is cross-channel verification. As stated in the source material, “after hanging up, immediately call a number the person regularly uses and you recognize — do not call back the suspicious number — or ask a mutual acquaintance for confirmation.” The rule of thumb is: “Don’t trust video or voice alone; verify through actions and multiple channels.” Legally, using face-swapping or voice-cloning technology for fraud is strictly prohibited. Platforms must clearly label any service offering face generation, replacement, voice synthesis, or voice imitation; no organization or individual may maliciously remove, alter, forge or hide such labels. However, platforms are the ones that follow the rules and scammers will not add a label, so, the absence of a label cannot be taken as proof that the caller is genuine. The Criminal Investigation Bureau published one case in which a 14-person gang was caught with more than 50,000 synthetic moving-face videos and more than 500,000 pieces of citizens’ personal information. Police also seized 60 cloud servers. (Nationwide; the labeling duty has applied since September 1, 2025.)

Starting from the first interrogation or from the moment you’re placed under compulsory measures restricting your freedom, you have the right to appoint a lawyer. While the case remains under police investigation, only lawyers may represent you — no one else can serve as a defense counsel. Upon a lawyer’s request, the detention center must arrange a meeting within 48 hours, and such meetings are not monitored. No one may be forced to confess guilt, and you may refuse answering questions unrelated to the case. A summons or compulsory appearance lasts at most 12 hours; for especially serious and complex cases, this limit extends to 24 hours. A summons merely notifies you to come for questioning, while compulsory appearance means you’re physically taken there. Back-to-back summonses must not be used as a disguised way of holding someone. Anyone fabricating facts to falsely accuse another and seeking criminal punishment for them faces up to three years in prison; if serious harm results, the sentence rises to three to ten years. If charges are dropped, prosecution is refused, or a court acquits you after detention or arrest, you may claim state compensation calculated daily based on the previous year’s national average daily wage for workers.

Article 67 of the Criminal Law: a person who, after committing a crime, voluntarily turns themselves in and truthfully confesses their crime has surrendered (自首). A person who has surrendered may be given a lighter or mitigated punishment, and where the crime is relatively minor, punishment may be waived. A person who did not turn themselves in but truthfully confesses their crime (坦白, confession) may be given a lighter punishment; where the truthful confession avoids especially serious consequences, punishment may be mitigated. The sentencing guidelines of the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate give explicit ranges. The baseline sentence is the term first worked out from the facts of the case; the percentages below are deducted from it. Self-surrender can reduce the baseline sentence by up to 40%; where the crime is relatively minor, by more than 40% or punishment may be waived under the law. Among confessions: truthfully confessing one’s own crime reduces it by up to 20%. Truthfully confessing a graver crime of the same kind that the judicial organs have not yet found out reduces it by 10% to 30%. A truthful confession that avoids especially serious consequences reduces it by 30% to 50%. Pleading guilty and accepting punishment reduces it by up to 30%. Where self-surrender, a major confession, return of stolen goods or losses, and compensation with forgiveness occur together, the reduction is up to 60%; for a relatively minor crime, more than 60% or punishment may be waived under the law. The limitation period for prosecution has four tiers by the statutory maximum sentence: 5, 10, 15 and 20 years (Article 87). But Article 88 states an exception: after the procuratorate, the public security organ or the state security organ has opened a case for investigation, or after the court has accepted a case, a person who evades investigation or trial is not subject to the limitation period (nationwide; the sentencing ranges have applied since July 1, 2021)

For driving after drinking, the driving license is suspended for 6 months and the fine is 1,000 to 2,000 yuan. For a repeat offense, detention of up to 10 days and revocation of the driving license. For drunk driving, the license is revoked directly, you cannot retake the test for 5 years, and you bear criminal liability for the crime of dangerous driving, with criminal detention (拘役, short-term custody) and a fine. Drivers of commercial vehicles get more: driving after drinking brings 15 days’ detention, a 5,000 yuan fine and a 5-year driving ban; drunk driving brings a 10-year ban, and you can never drive a commercial vehicle again. If driving after drinking or drunk driving causes a serious accident and is a crime, the driving ban is for life. Commercial auto insurance pays nothing for driving after drinking or taking drugs. Moving a car within a residential compound or parking lot, or parking it into a space: such short-distance drunk driving may be left out of criminal treatment. But the license is still revoked, and you are still fined and detained under the rules for driving after drinking. Riding an electric bicycle: the State Council’s implementing regulations also say “no driving while drunk”; violators get a warning or a fine of 5 to 50 yuan. Handing a vehicle to a person with no license, or with a revoked or suspended license: a fine of 200 to 2,000 yuan, and your own license may also be revoked. If an accident happens with a car you lent, as a rule the driver pays. But if you knew or should have known that he had been drinking or had no license and still gave him the car, the court finds you at fault and you pay part according to your fault. In a case published by the Supreme People’s Court in May 2026, the owner knowingly handed the car to a tablemate who had been drinking. The owner was held liable together with the driver, within a range of 40% (nationwide)

Renting, lending or selling phone cards, bank accounts, payment accounts or internet accounts is itself illegal. The illegal gains are confiscated and a fine of 1 to 10 times the gains is imposed. If there are no gains or the gains are under 20,000 yuan, the fine is up to 200,000 yuan. In serious cases, there is detention of up to 15 days. You may also be entered in the credit record, have account functions restricted, and have non-counter services suspended (you can only transact at the counter). If you know that someone is using the internet to commit a crime and still give him help such as payment and settlement, then in serious cases it is a crime. The offense is helping information network criminal activities (帮信罪 for short), punished with up to 3 years’ imprisonment and a fine (nationwide)

Administrative regulations state that “individuals have the right to obtain their own credit reports twice a year free of charge,” meaning you can check your report twice annually at no cost. Negative records are kept for five years from the day the bad conduct or event ended; any older entries must be deleted. When you raise a dispute, the credit agency or source of the data must reply in writing within 20 days.

Under the law, anyone who assaults another person or intentionally harms them faces 5 to 10 days in jail and a fine of 500 to 1000 yuan. Those who act in a group, target the elderly, pregnant women, children or disabled people, repeat the assault, or attack multiple people at once receive 10 to 15 days in jail and a fine of 1000 to 2000 yuan. Group fights are handled as picking quarrels and provoking trouble (寻衅滋事, making trouble without cause or stirring up a disturbance), with a maximum of 15 days in detention and a fine of 2,000 yuan. Intentional bodily harm that meets criminal criteria results in up to 3 years in prison; serious injuries bring a sentence of 3 to 10 years. Legally, mutual fighting does not count as self-defense. However, if the other person strikes first and the force is clearly excessive, or if you try to avoid the fight but they keep attacking, your retaliation is generally deemed lawful self-defense. Only when your response clearly exceeds what is necessary and causes major harm does it qualify as excessive self-defense, which still warrants a reduced or waived penalty (nationwide, effective January 1, 2026 under the Public Security Administration Punishment Law).

The Criminal Law defines what counts as justified defense (正当防卫). When the state, the public interest, or one’s own or another person’s person, property or other rights are being unlawfully attacked, using force to stop the attack and injuring the attacker is justified defense, and there is no criminal liability. The same article also says: “where justified defense clearly exceeds the necessary limit and causes major harm, criminal liability shall be borne, but punishment shall be reduced or waived.” Another paragraph says: “where defensive action is taken against an ongoing violent crime such as assault, murder, robbery, rape or kidnapping, or another violent crime that seriously endangers personal safety, and it causes death or injury to the unlawful attacker, it is not excessive defense and there is no criminal liability.” The guiding opinion of the two supreme judicial organs and the Ministry of Public Security (两高一部) draws the boundary more finely. Finding excessive defense requires both “clearly exceeding the necessary limit” and “causing major harm”; one without the other is not enough. “Causing major harm” means seriously injuring or killing the attacker; light injury or lesser harm does not count. An attack has ended only if the attacker has truly lost the ability to attack or has truly given up. Defense must be aimed at the attacker himself. If the attack is clearly minor and you can see that, yet you directly use a means that can cause serious injury or death to stop it, it is not recognized as a defensive act. The cost of the process has official cases. Procuratorate Guiding Case No. 47, the Yu Haiming case: on the night of August 27, 2018, the police opened an “intentional injury” case. On September 1, the Kunshan Public Security Bureau found justified defense under Article 20, paragraph 3 of the Criminal Law and withdrew the case. Guiding Case No. 45, the Chen case: a student surrounded and beaten by 9 people fought back with a knife and seriously injured 3 of them. The police opened an intentional injury case and put him under criminal detention. The procuratorate found it was justified defense and did not approve arrest, and only then did the police release him. After detention, if the police think arrest is needed, they must request the procuratorate’s review and approval within 3 days (the procuratorate decides whether to approve the arrest). In special circumstances this can be extended by 1 to 4 days. For major suspects who commit crimes while moving from place to place, repeatedly, or in groups, it can be extended to 30 days. The procuratorate then decides within 7 days (nationwide)

Official statistics back up legal remedies. In 2024, labor inspectors handled 137,000 cases, resulting in 8.65 billion yuan being returned to 654,000 workers. Additionally, 998 individuals were sentenced for the crime of refusing to pay labor remuneration. Instructions on filing labor complaints and arbitration are provided in Section 7, item 2. The consequences of revenge are outlined in Article 232 of the Criminal Law: “Whoever intentionally kills another shall be sentenced to death, life imprisonment, or fixed-term imprisonment of not less than ten years; if the circumstances are relatively minor, they shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than ten years.” An official example: Xu failed his exams and did not receive his diploma; he also resented his internship pay. On November 16, 2024, he returned to Wuxi Arts and Crafts Vocational College and attacked people with a knife, killing 8 and injuring 17. He was sentenced to death for intentional homicide, with political rights revoked for life; the sentence was approved by the Supreme People’s Court and carried out on January 20, 2025. His grievances concerned the school and pay, yet his victims were fellow students, and he received no compensation at all (nationwide data).

Article 114 of the Criminal Law states: “Whoever commits arson, breaches a dike, causes an explosion, releases toxic, radioactive, or infectious agents, or endangers public safety by any other dangerous means, without causing serious consequences, shall be sentenced to three to ten years in prison.” Thus, even when no injuries occur, the minimum penalty is three years. Article 115 adds that if serious injury, death, or major property damage results, the sentence becomes ten years or more, life imprisonment, or death. Official case example: Fan Weiqiu, disillusioned by his failed marriage and unhappy with the divorce terms, resolved to vent his anger by driving into a crowd. On the evening of November 11, 2024, he crashed his vehicle into exercisers at Zhuhai Sports Center, killing 35 and injuring 43. He was convicted under the aforementioned article and sentenced to death, with political rights revoked; the sentence was carried out on January 20, 2025 after Supreme Court approval. What he was unhappy about was the outcome of the divorce property division, yet the people he hit were runners he did not know (nationwide).

The window from this kind of thought to action is short. Researchers interviewed 82 people who had attempted suicide, within three days of admission. Of them, 47.6% said the time from the first thought to carrying it out was no more than 10 minutes. A systematic review spanning ten years shows growing evidence that restricting access to lethal means reduces suicide rates. For instance, after tighter controls on painkillers, suicide rates linked to them dropped by 43%. After barriers were added at jumping hotspots, rates fell by 86% (ranging from 79% to 91%). Creating that ten-minute buffer by removing lethal objects is precisely what this advice aims to achieve. 12356 is the national mental health helpline, operating at least 18 hours per day nationwide as of May 1, 2025.

Article 28, paragraph 2 of the Mental Health Law states: “When a suspected mental disorder patient acts in a way that harms themselves or endangers others’ safety, or is at risk of doing so, their close relatives, employer, or local police must act immediately to stop such behavior and arrange transport to a medical facility for diagnosis.” The same article also requires hospitals to accept and diagnose any such patients without refusal. Article 29 requires hospitals to keep these individuals at the hospital, immediately assign a licensed psychiatrist for evaluation, and issue a diagnosis promptly. Article 30 says voluntary admission is the norm, with one exception: the diagnosis shows a severe mental disorder and the person “has already acted in a way that endangers others’ safety, or poses a danger to others’ safety.” Such a person shall be given inpatient treatment, and the person’s consent is not required. Making threats of violence is grounds for calling 110. Writing threatening letters or using other means to threaten someone’s safety can result in detention for up to five days or a fine of up to 1000 yuan. Those who threaten arson, explosions or the release of dangerous substances and thereby disrupt public order face detention of 5 to 10 days and may also be fined up to 1,000 yuan (nationwide; Public Security Administration Punishment Law, in effect since January 1, 2026).

Those who openly insult others or fabricate facts to defame them face detention for up to 5 days or a fine of up to 1000 yuan; for more serious cases, detention ranges from 5 to 10 days. The same penalties apply to people who repeatedly send insulting or threatening messages, harass or stalk others, or secretly photograph and distribute someone’s private information. Anyone who deliberately spreads rumors and disrupts public order also faces detention from 5 to 10 days. In severe cases, such actions constitute the crimes of insult or defamation, punishable by up to 3 years in prison. For online defamation cases where victims struggle to gather evidence, they can request the court to ask police for assistance (nationwide; Public Security Administration Punishment Law, in effect since January 1, 2026).

Legally executed contracts are protected by law and bind both parties. Once signed, obligations must be fulfilled as agreed. Article 490 of the Civil Code states that a contract made in a written document is formed when the parties “sign, affix seals, or press fingerprints.” Fingerprints are treated equally with signatures and seals, so a contract remains valid even with just a fingerprint. Claims like “I didn’t read it” or “I thought it was something else” rarely hold up in court. Avoiding such signatures prevents you from inheriting debts or liabilities that aren’t yours (nationwide).

Loan contracts must be in writing, with standard clauses covering the type of loan, currency, intended use, amount, interest rate, term, and repayment method. A complete note makes it easier to sue. If a guarantee contract does not explicitly state the type of guarantee or leaves details ambiguous, it is treated as a standard guarantee. Under such terms, the creditor must first sue or go to arbitration, then apply for enforcement against the borrower’s assets. Only if the debt still cannot be repaid after enforcement does it become your turn. However, if you agree to a joint and several liability guarantee, you lose this protection — creditors can demand payment from you immediately. (Nationwide)

The Civil Code states that “the limitation period for filing a civil lawsuit is three years, calculated from the date the right-holder knows or should know that his rights were infringed and who the obligor is.” This period may not exceed twenty years from the actual infringement. When it expires, the debtor may invoke a defense of non-performance. Courts do not look into the limitation period on their own, but once the debtor raises it in court it takes effect, and the money is still owed but can no longer be recovered. Four events can interrupt the clock, each resetting the three-year period: (1) you demand performance; (2) the debtor promises to perform; (3) you file a lawsuit or apply for arbitration; (4) any other circumstance with the same effect. The interruption must happen before the three years run out; a demand made after expiry does not restart the clock. For installment agreements, the countdown starts on the final due date. Certain claims are exempt from any limitation period: requests to stop infringement, remove obstacles, eliminate hazards; recovery of real property or registered movable assets; child support, support for elderly parents, and support between spouses or other family members; plus other cases specified by law. Labor arbitration follows a one-year rule, also measured from the date the worker knows or should know of the violation; however, if a dispute over unpaid wages arises while the employment relationship still exists, the worker’s application for arbitration is not subject to the one-year limit while the employment relationship continues; but if the employment relationship has ended, it must be filed within one year from the day it ended (nationwide).

Transferring assets is itself one of the situations that make this a crime. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress has issued an interpretation of Article 313 of the Criminal Law, explicitly stating that “hiding, transferring, deliberately destroying, or transferring assets for free or at an unreasonably low price, thereby preventing the execution of a judgment or order” qualifies as “having the ability to execute but refusing to do so under serious circumstances.” In other words, hiding money, transferring it away, deliberately destroying one’s own property, giving it away for free, or selling it at a steep discount all count when they leave the judgment impossible to enforce. In 2024, the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate added ten more scenarios to this definition, including using fake settlements or transfers to dispose of assets, as well as buying someone else’s property at an unreasonably high price, and guaranteeing someone else’s debts. All these actions are deliberate attempts to strip oneself of assets available for debt repayment. The maximum sentence for this crime remains three years; in especially serious cases, it rises to three to seven years plus a fine. Especially serious circumstances means these situations using fake lawsuits, arbitration, or notarization to obstruct enforcement, gathering crowds to storm enforcement sites, attacking or detaining enforcement officers, or causing a creditor to commit suicide or self-harm due to non-payment. Even outsiders who aren’t parties to the case are treated as accomplices if they knowingly collude with the person and help hide or transfer assets. Illegally transferred assets must be recovered or returned. Transfers made after receiving a summons but before a judgment takes effect also count. On the civil side, creditors may petition the court to annul any transfers made for free or at unreasonably low prices. For refusing to report assets or reporting them falsely, the court may fine an individual up to 100,000 yuan. It may also detain for up to 15 days (nationwide; the interpretation of the two supreme bodies applies from December 2024).

There are exactly six circumstances under which a person can be added to the dishonesty registry. First, if they have the ability to fulfill obligations but refuse to do so. Second, if they obstruct or resist enforcement efforts through forged evidence, violence, or threats. Third, if they use false litigation, arbitration, or concealment of assets to evade enforcement. Fourth, if they violate property reporting requirements. Fifth, if they breach spending restriction orders. Sixth, if they refuse to honor enforcement settlement agreements without valid reason. If sufficient guarantees are provided or if seized assets are enough to cover debts, the court cannot add someone under the first category. Minors cannot be listed at all. The standard listing period is two years, though it can be extended by one to three years for serious cases of obstruction or multiple violations. In seven specific cases, including full fulfillment of obligations or termination of enforcement proceedings, the court must remove the listing within three working days; proactive compliance can also lead to earlier removal. Individuals under spending restrictions may not engage in nine categories of high spending, nor in spending not necessary for life and work. First, flying, soft sleepers on trains, and second class or above on ships. Second, high spending at star-rated hotels, inns, nightclubs and golf courses. Third, buying real estate, or building, extending or luxury-renovating a home. Fourth, renting high-end office buildings, hotels or apartments as offices. Fifth, buying vehicles not necessary for business. Sixth, travel and vacations. Seventh, children attending high-fee private schools. Eighth, paying high premiums for insurance wealth-management products. Ninth, any seat on G-series high-speed trains, or first class or above on other bullet trains. If one of these is necessary for life or business, you must apply to the court and can do it only once approved. If you provide a truly valid guarantee, or the creditor agrees, the court may lift the restrictions (nationwide).

Defrauding 3,000 to 10,000 yuan or more counts as “a relatively large amount” for the crime of fraud, and each province sets its local standard within that range. This tier carries up to 3 years, with a fine in addition or a fine alone. Below the criminal standard, public-order penalties apply: detention of 5 to 10 days, or a fine of up to 2,000 yuan. In more serious circumstances, detention of 10 to 15 days and a fine of up to 3,000 yuan may also be imposed. On the civil side, an online-purchase contract dispute can be sued in the court where you receive the goods, and you do not have to go to the seller’s location. The small-claims procedure applies when the amount in dispute is 50% or less of the previous year’s average annual wage of employed persons in the province. Small-claims cases are final at first instance (the judgment takes effect once given and cannot be appealed). They are concluded within 2 months of filing; the summary procedure takes 3 months. Civil litigation can be conducted online, with the same effect as offline (nationwide; Civil Procedure Law from January 2024, Public Security Administration Punishment Law from January 2026)

Before property rights are transferred, a gift can be withdrawn. This legal threshold is known as the “transfer of property rights”. Once the transfer is complete, only the three aforementioned situations allow for revocation. Small gifts or cash given on special occasions such as birthdays or holidays, as well as everyday expenses meant to strengthen emotional bonds, do not qualify as betrothal gifts and thus are not required to be returned upon a breakup (nationwide rule).

The law prohibits demanding property by means of marriage. If one side demands property in the name of betrothal money, and the other side asks for it back, the court supports that. There are three situations in which return can be demanded: the marriage was never registered; it was registered but the two genuinely never lived together; betrothal money was given before marriage and the side that paid it was left in hardship. If the marriage was registered and the two lived together, it is generally not returned. But if the time living together was short and the betrothal sum was too high, the court sets the share to be returned according to how the money was actually spent, whether there was a dowry, whether there was a pregnancy or a birth, and whether either side was at fault. If they never registered but already lived together, it is handled by the same shares (nationwide, from February 2024).

Premarital assets are legally classified as personal property and do not automatically become joint marital property over time. Couples can agree in writing whether premarital assets and postmarital earnings belong to each person individually, to both jointly, or to a mix of both — such agreements are legally binding for both parties. When parents fund the purchase of a home before marriage, the money is treated as a gift to their own child unless they explicitly state it is intended for both spouses. For parental contributions made after marriage, handling follows any agreement; if none exists, standard rules for joint marital property apply. If a couple agrees before or during marriage to transfer ownership of one spouse’s property to the other or to make it jointly owned, the gifting spouse can revoke that agreement prior to completing official registration; once registration is finalized, the property becomes the other spouse’s legal property. In divorce, any party that conceals, transfers, sells off or squanders shared marital assets, or that forges debts, may receive a smaller share or no share at all (applies nationwide).

Bigamous marriages hold no legal weight. Persons who enter a second marriage while already married, or who knowingly wed someone already married, may be sentenced to 2 years or less. Those convicted of defrauding others of sizable sums face up to 3 years plus a fine; those guilty of massive fraud receive 3 to 10 years; those responsible for truly enormous fraud get 10 years or more, or life imprisonment, plus a fine or seizure of assets (nationwide).

Appliance repair businesses must clearly list the charges for their services and parts, quality standards, warranty periods, and customer complaint hotlines. They must provide customers with a written receipt and invoice detailing exactly what work was done. They are prohibited from inventing or exaggerating repair needs, falsely reporting faulty parts, or deliberately replacing functional components. Serious violations result in fines up to 30,000 yuan. All operators must display prices openly, cannot add any extra charges, and cannot demand payment for services not listed. Offering a low initial price and then charging more, or advertising false discounts, constitutes price fraud. Service pricing, scope, and calculation methods must be displayed prominently, and no misleading or false advertising is permitted nationwide.

The legal representative is intended to be the director or manager who actually runs the company’s affairs, meaning the law regards this person as the true manager. Should such a representative cause harm to others while on duty, the company pays compensation first and then can recover those funds from the responsible representative. Directors and senior executives also owe duties of loyalty and diligence to the company — they must act in its best interests and with due care. If they cause harm to others through intentional acts or gross negligence, they must personally bear the financial responsibility. “Lack of awareness” is not a legally valid defense against liability. Article 10 of the Company Law states: “Where the legal representative resigns, the company shall determine a new legal representative within thirty days from the date of resignation.” (nationwide, effective July 2024).

The advice of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to citizens going abroad is: “be sure to avoid carrying luggage or items for others, especially prohibited items or items you do not know about.” The same passage says “all countries prohibit the entry of drugs, products of protected animals and plants, and the like”, and asks you to “truthfully declare restricted items and the amount of cash as required” and to “truthfully answer questions from customs, immigration and other staff.” If you carry something for another person and cannot say what is inside, you cannot declare it truthfully. The same is true inside China. A 2025 risk warning from the Hubei Provincial Post Administration lists “receiving high-priced goods for others” among the main forms of fraud that use express delivery, and states: “anyone who asks you to advance money in the name of express ‘order brushing’ or ‘doing tasks’ is a scammer”

When a pet causes injury to another person, its owner or the person supervising it at the time bears legal liability for compensation. Only if it can be demonstrated that the injured individual deliberately provoked the animal or displayed gross negligence may the compensation obligation be lessened or voided. If the management rules were broken and no safety measures were taken, such as no leash where one was required, the only ground left for reduction is “intent by the injured party.” In the case of prohibited aggressive breeds, there is absolutely no legal basis for exemption from compensation. Under Article 89 of the Public Security Administration Punishments Law, failing to take safety measures so that an animal injures someone brings a fine of up to 1,000 yuan, and in more serious cases detention of 5 to 10 days. Article 30 of the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law requires dog owners to have the dog vaccinated against rabies at the set intervals, then take the immunization certificate issued by an animal clinic (a pet hospital, for example) to the local office to register the dog. When taking the dog out, it must wear its license tag and be leashed as the rules require. Under Article 92 of the same law, an owner who fails to vaccinate the dog against rabies as required is ordered by the agriculture authority to correct it within a time limit and may be fined up to 1,000 yuan. If it is still not corrected, the fine is 1,000 to 5,000 yuan, and the dog is handled by an animal clinic or similar body on the authority's behalf, at the owner's expense

Article 236 of the Criminal Law stipulates that anyone who rapes a woman using violence, coercion, or other means faces a sentence of 3 to 10 years in prison. The phrase “other means” is not limited to physical force; it also covers situations where the other person is not fully conscious or is asleep and thus unable to validly consent. Situations such as raping a woman in vile circumstances or raping several women incur sentences of 10 years or more, life imprisonment, or even the death penalty. The same article also states that raping a girl under 14 is treated as rape and punished more severely; age determination follows Section 9, item 18 (under 14 years of age). A legal awareness article published by the Xicheng District People’s Procuratorate of Beijing notes that “sexually assaulting a woman after drugging or intoxicating her also constitutes rape.” The decisive factor is “whether the act violates the victim’s genuine will”; whether the victim resisted at the time is “not the key.” Article 237 of the Criminal Law governs forced indecency: anyone who uses violence, coercion, or other methods to force another person into indecent acts faces up to 5 years in prison or detention (nationwide).

Criminal Law Article 274: extorting public or private property in a relatively large amount, or extorting repeatedly, is punished with up to 3 years of fixed-term imprisonment, criminal detention or public surveillance, and also or only a fine. Criminal detention (拘役) is short-term custody; public surveillance (管制) means no custody but restricted freedom; “also or only a fine” means a fine in addition, or a fine alone. For a huge amount or other serious circumstances: 3 to 10 years of fixed-term imprisonment and a fine. For an especially huge amount or other especially serious circumstances: 10 years or more and a fine. The two supreme judicial organs also issued an interpretation, the Interpretation on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in Handling Criminal Cases of Extortion (法释〔2013〕10 号, in force from April 27, 2013). Its Article 1 sets three amount tiers. Extorting public or private property worth 2,000 to 5,000 yuan or more is “a relatively large amount”. 30,000 to 100,000 yuan or more is “a huge amount”. 300,000 to 500,000 yuan or more is “an especially huge amount”. Article 3: extorting three or more times within two years is to be treated as “repeated extortion” (nationwide). Civil Code Article 1032: no organization or individual may infringe another person’s right to privacy by spying, intruding, disclosing or making public. Article 1033 prohibits disturbing the peace of private life by phone, text message, instant messaging and the like. So if the other side really sends the photos out, he has infringed your right to privacy again; it is not your fault. The words of the Fujian Provincial Public Security Department’s warning on this kind of case are: “be sure to preserve the evidence, call 110 promptly, and never keep transferring money”

Article 50 of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law (revised June 27, 2025, effective January 1, 2026) addresses false accusations. Anyone who fabricates facts to get another person penalized under criminal or public order statutes faces up to 5 days of detention or a fine of up to 1,000 yuan; in more serious cases, 5 to 10 days of detention, and a fine of up to 1,000 yuan may be added. Article 243 of the Criminal Law defines the crime of false accusation: those who invent facts to falsely accuse another person, intending that person to be criminally prosecuted, are, in serious cases, sentenced to up to 3 years of imprisonment, criminal detention or public surveillance. If serious consequences result, the sentence is 3 to 10 years. Public officials committing such acts receive harsher sentences within the same penalty range. Conversely, unintentional errors or honest mistakes do not trigger these provisions.

Article 55 of the Criminal Procedure Law stipulates that evidence must be both authentic and sufficient: it must be verified through legally prescribed procedures, and the totality of evidence must eliminate any reasonable doubt regarding the facts. Eliminating reasonable doubt means that, when all evidence is considered together, no other plausible explanation for those facts remains. Article 56 further states that any statements from suspects or defendants obtained through torture or any testimonies or victim statements gathered via violence or threats must be excluded from legal proceedings. Should such evidence be identified during investigation, prosecution, or trial, it must be discarded and cannot inform prosecution recommendations, decisions, or sentencing. Article 200(3) explicitly provides that when evidence proves insufficient to establish guilt, a verdict of acquittal must be rendered on the grounds that the alleged crime cannot be proven. Article 252 gives the route of petition: the parties, their legal representatives, and close relatives may petition courts or procuratorates against judgments or rulings that have taken legal effect. However, a petition does not stop the execution of the judgment or ruling. Article 253 lists the circumstances in which courts must retry a case (nationwide).

Article 17 of the State Compensation Law lists several situations in which the victim has the right to compensation. The first is detention: a citizen is detained in violation of the Criminal Procedure Law, or lawfully detained but beyond the legal time limit, and afterwards the case is withdrawn, not prosecuted, or criminal liability is ended by a judgment of not guilty. The second is arrest: after a citizen is arrested, the case is withdrawn, not prosecuted, or criminal liability is ended by a judgment of not guilty. The third is retrial: the case is retried under the trial supervision procedure and changed to not guilty, and the original sentence has already been carried out. The trial supervision procedure is the procedure for retrying a judgment that has already taken effect. Article 33: where personal liberty is infringed, the daily compensation is calculated on the previous year’s national average daily wage of employees. Article 35: where mental harm is caused, within the scope of the effect of the infringement the victim must be given removal of the effect, restoration of reputation and an apology, and where serious consequences result, a corresponding amount of compensation for mental distress must be paid. Article 19 lists six situations in which the state does not pay. One: you deliberately made a false confession or forged other evidence of guilt, and were therefore held or sentenced. Two: a person who bears no criminal liability under Articles 17 and 18 of the Criminal Law was held, for example someone below the age of criminal responsibility, or a mentally ill person who caused harm when unable to recognize or control their own conduct. Three: a person whom the Criminal Procedure Law says is not to be held criminally liable was held. This covers cases where the circumstances were obviously minor and the harm small, so that it is not regarded as a crime, where the limitation period had passed, and where the suspect has died. It also covers cases where the crime was minor and the procuratorate decided not to prosecute, which is commonly called discretionary non-prosecution (相对不起诉, also called 酌定不起诉). It likewise includes non-prosecution of a minor after the probation period of conditional non-prosecution ended, and non-prosecution after reconciliation with the victim. Four: personal acts of the case handlers that have nothing to do with exercising their powers. Five: harm caused by your own deliberate acts such as self-injury. Six: other situations provided by law. Article 7 of the 2015 interpretation of the two supreme judicial organs on criminal compensation confirms again that when a person who bears no criminal liability or a person given discretionary non-prosecution is held, the state does not pay. But where, after prosecution, the court wrongly sentences to criminal detention, fixed-term imprisonment or life imprisonment and the sentence has been carried out, the period of continued custody after the judgment became final is still compensated. Article 8 of that interpretation: where the case-handling organ refuses to pay on the grounds that “you made a false confession yourself” or “you injured yourself”, the case-handling organ has the burden of proof. The Supreme People’s Procuratorate issued a notice in May 2026. The National Bureau of Statistics published the 2025 figures on May 15, 2026. The national average annual wage of employed persons in urban non-private units was about 129,000 yuan (129,441 yuan). The average daily wage worked out from it is 495.94 yuan. When procuratorates at all levels make state compensation decisions from May 18, 2026, they use this figure. The compensation for infringement of personal liberty is 495.94 yuan a day. The previous rate was 475.52 yuan a day, in use from May 2025 (nationwide)

Official precedent exists: in 2008, after the authorities announced melamine in some batches of “Shi’en” (施恩) brand milk powder, the test result for Guo Li’s daughter was “several point-like strong echoes in the central collecting system of both kidneys.” Guo repeatedly demanded compensation from the seller and the Shi’en company, and exposed the matter to the media. In June 2009, both parties reached an agreement: the Shi’en company paid 400,000 yuan in compensation, and Guo signed a document saying he would pursue it no further and gave up his compensation claims. Later, the company reported to the police, and Guo was convicted of extortion and sentenced to five years in prison by the Chao’an County People’s Court. The Guangdong Provincial People’s Procuratorate then recommended a retrial, arguing that “existing evidence fails to prove Guo intended unlawful gain.” As a legal guardian, Guo “has the right to seek compensation from the milk powder manufacturer, and his claim has a legal basis.” The recommendation also states that “consumers may expose and criticize any behavior infringing on their rights via mass media.” On April 7, 2017, the Guangdong Higher People’s Court acquitted Guo, ruling that “the original verdict lacked sufficient facts and evidence to prove Guo intended unlawful gain; his actions fell within the scope of civil disputes.” Guo was detained for 1826 days between July 23, 2009, and July 22, 2014 (Guangdong, retrial verdict 2017).

Article 15 of 法发〔2023〕14 号 deals with injunctions. The rights holder has evidence that someone is committing or about to commit an unlawful act infringing their personality rights, and failing to stop it in time would cause harm to their lawful rights that is hard to repair. If the rights holder applies under Article 997 of the Civil Code, the court may issue a personality-rights injunction under the law. Such an injunction is a court order telling the other side to stop first. Article 11 of the same opinion deals with evidence. In private prosecution cases, “a victim who truly has difficulty providing evidence may ask the public security organ for assistance.” The public security organ shall promptly identify the person responsible and collect evidence such as how the content spread and its impact. The network service provider shall give the necessary technical support. “Where, after the public security organ assists in collecting evidence, the conditions for accepting a private prosecution are met, the court shall decide to open the case.” Where evidence cannot be collected, the public security organ shall explain in writing. A private prosecution case is one where the victim goes to court and sues personally. Article 12 of the opinion lists five situations that shall be found to be “seriously endangering social order” under Article 246, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Law. First, causing serious consequences such as mental breakdown or suicide of the victim or a close relative, with bad social impact. Second, targeting ordinary members of the public at random, with information spreading widely and drawing a large number of vulgar, malicious comments, with bad social impact. Third, insulting or defaming several people or spreading the content repeatedly, with bad social impact. Fourth, organizing or directing people to spread it widely on several platforms, with bad social impact. Fifth, others. Article 4 of the opinion: organizing a “human flesh search”, illegally collecting citizens’ personal information and publishing it to an unspecified large number of people, is punished in serious cases as the crime of infringing citizens’ personal information. Article 23 of the Provisions on the Governance of Online Violence Information requires platforms to provide these protection options. You can block strangers or specific users. You can limit who sees what you post. You can prohibit reposts or comments. You can accept private messages only from friends, or refuse all private messages. Article 25 requires a quick evidence-collection function. Article 26 requires a quick complaint and report entry in a prominent place. Article 15 requires platforms that find suspected crimes to report to the public security organ promptly.

Insurance Law Article 34: a contract that pays out on death is void unless the insured has consented and approved the insured amount. The insured is the person whose life is covered. Parents buying for a minor child are not bound by this limit. Article 39: when the policyholder names a beneficiary, the insured’s consent is needed. The policyholder is the one who pays for the insurance; the beneficiary is the one who collects after the event. Article 43 deals with deliberately harming a person. If the policyholder deliberately causes the death, disability or illness of the insured, the insurer bears no liability to pay. If the policyholder has paid premiums for two full years or more, the cash value is refunded to the other rights holders. If the beneficiary deliberately causes the death, disability or illness of the insured, or attempts to kill the insured, that beneficiary loses the right to benefits. Article 27, paragraph 2: if the policyholder or insured deliberately causes an insured event, the insurer has the right to terminate the contract and bears no liability to pay, and except as provided in Article 43 does not refund the premiums. Civil Code Article 1125: a person who deliberately kills the decedent loses the right of inheritance. Criminal Law Article 198, paragraph 1, item 5 lists as insurance fraud “the policyholder or beneficiary deliberately causing the death, disability or illness of the insured in order to obtain insurance money.” For a relatively large amount: up to 5 years, and a fine of 10,000 to 100,000 yuan. For a huge amount: 5 to 10 years. For an especially huge amount: 10 years or more. Paragraph 2: where such an act also constitutes another crime, punishment follows the rule on combined punishment for several crimes (数罪并罚, the punishments for several crimes are put together to work out the sentence). Article 232: intentional homicide is punished by death, life imprisonment or fixed-term imprisonment of 10 years or more. The case is Zhang Mosong in Xuancheng, Anhui. In the early hours of July 18, 2016, he drove into a pond and his wife drowned. Less than half a month before, he had bought 4 policies on his wife, each of 1 million yuan. He was arrested on July 25. The court combined the punishments for intentional homicide and insurance fraud, sentencing him to death with a reprieve (死缓) and a fine of 50,000 yuan

Article 171 of the Procedural Provisions on Handling Criminal Cases by Public Security Organs (as amended by Order No. 159 of the Ministry of Public Security) deals with the case receipt. It says: “When the public security organ accepts a case, it shall make a case registration form and a case receipt, and hand the case receipt to the person who brought the suspect in, the reporter, the complainant or the informant.” Article 174: “For a case accepted or a crime lead discovered, the public security organ shall review it promptly.” Article 178 deals with whether to open a case. If, after review, the police find there are criminal facts requiring criminal liability and the case is within their jurisdiction, they must open it. Opening a case needs the approval of the person in charge of a public security organ at county level or above. Not opening a case also means giving you a piece of paper: “For a case with a complainant, where it is decided not to open a case, the public security organ shall make a notice of not opening a case and deliver it to the complainant within three days.” Article 179 deals with what to do if you disagree. It says: “A complainant who disagrees with the decision not to open a case may, within seven days of receiving the notice, apply for reconsideration to the public security organ that made the decision; the public security organ shall decide within thirty days of receiving the application.” It goes on: “A complainant who disagrees with the reconsideration decision may, within seven days of receiving the reconsideration decision, apply for review to the public security organ at the next higher level; that organ shall decide within thirty days of receiving the application. Where a higher-level organ revokes a decision not to open a case, the lower-level organ shall carry it out.” For major or complex cases the time limit for reconsideration and review can be extended, but “not by more than thirty days, and the applicant shall be told in writing.” Criminal Procedure Law Article 112: where there are found to be criminal facts requiring criminal liability, a case shall be opened; where it is not opened, “the reason shall be notified to the complainant. A complainant who disagrees may apply for reconsideration.” Article 113: “Where a victim believes the public security organ has not opened for investigation a case that should be opened, and raises this with the people’s procuratorate, the procuratorate shall require the public security organ to explain the reason. Where the procuratorate finds the reason does not hold, it shall notify the public security organ to open the case, and the public security organ shall open it on receiving the notice.” Article 61 of the Procedural Provisions on Handling Administrative Cases by Public Security Organs has the same requirement. For a case within the unit’s jurisdiction, it “shall immediately investigate and handle it, make a case registration form and a case receipt, and hand the case receipt to the reporter, complainant, informant or the person who brought the suspect in.” The time limit for handling a public-order case “shall not exceed 30 days from acceptance; for a major or complex case, it can be extended by 30 days with the approval of the public security organ at the next higher level”, and time for expert appraisal does not count. Article 9 of the Regulations on Inspection of Public Security Organs deals with complaints about the police. It says: “For an unlawful or disciplinary act by a public security organ or its police officers that is in progress and is complained of by the public, the inspection body shall send officers promptly, deal with it on the spot as provided, and promptly report the result back to the complainant” (nationwide).

Article 389 of the Criminal Law defines bribery as “offering property to state functionaries with the intent to obtain improper benefits.” The same article also states that “in economic transactions, offering relatively large amounts of property to state functionaries in violation of state regulations, or providing them with rebates or handling fees under various pretexts in breach of state regulations, shall be treated as bribery.” An exception is also outlined: “Offering property to state functionaries under coercion without obtaining any improper benefits does not constitute bribery.” Sentencing guidelines are laid out in Article 390 of the Criminal Law (amended by Amendment XII to the Criminal Law, effective March 1, 2024). It reads: “Those convicted of bribery shall be sentenced to up to 3 years in prison or criminal detention, and also fined; if they obtain improper benefits through bribery, and the circumstances are serious, or if they cause substantial losses to national interests, they shall be sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison and fined; for especially grave circumstances, or when especially substantial losses are inflicted on national interests, they shall be sentenced to 10 years or more in prison or life imprisonment, and also fined or have their property confiscated.” There are seven circumstances that warrant aggravated sentencing: (1) repeated bribery or offering bribes to multiple people; (2) bribery by state functionaries; (3) bribery related to national key projects or major undertakings; (4) bribery aimed at securing job promotions or rank adjustments; (5) bribery of oversight, administrative law enforcement, and judicial staff; (6) bribery in sectors such as ecological conservation, finance, work safety, food and drug regulation, disaster prevention and relief, social security, education, and healthcare, which facilitates other illegal acts; (7) using illicit gains to pay bribes. An additional provision allows for mitigated punishment or exemption for those who voluntarily confess to their bribery acts prior to prosecution: “Those who voluntarily confess to bribery prior to being investigated may receive a lighter or mitigated punishment; where their crime is relatively minor, or it plays a key role in breaking through an investigation or solving a major case, or they perform major meritorious service, punishment may be mitigated or waived” (nationwide application).

Article 66 of the Civil Procedure Law lists audio/video recordings and electronic data as admissible evidence. Article 106 of the Supreme People’s Court’s judicial interpretation further specifies that only three types of evidence are excluded: those obtained by seriously infringing on someone’s legal rights, those obtained in violation of statutory prohibitions, and those obtained in blatant breach of public order and good morals. “Failing to inform the other party beforehand” does not fall under any of these categories. According to Article 15 of the Supreme People’s Court’s Provisions on Evidence, to use a recording as evidence, you must submit its original medium — such as the original phone used to record it. Article 90 states that audio/video recordings or electronic data with any doubts attached cannot be used alone to determine facts. A published article by a judge on the Supreme People’s Court website also confirms that recordings must be obtained lawfully, remain unedited, be factually accurate, and be relevant to the case at hand.

Article 66 of the Civil Procedure Law lists physical evidence, audio-visual materials, and electronic data as admissible evidence. Article 14 of the Supreme People’s Court’s Provisions on Evidence classifies photographs, audio recordings, and videos as electronic data. Article 15 requires submission of the original electronic data; for video evidence, the original storage medium must be provided. Photos and videos preserve the scene exactly as it appears at the moment, allowing them to be cross-checked with police reports, repair records, medical records, and witness statements. The sequence “wide shot → spatial relationships → details” is a rule of thumb, not set by law (nationwide).

First, the risks. A systematic review of data from 66 countries shows that in cases of female homicide, 38.6 % are committed by intimate partners, compared with 6.3 % for men. Researchers note that such killings often represent the final step in a pattern of prolonged abuse. Another study compared 506 cases of homicide and attempted homicide with 427 women who had been beaten but had no such event. Women who had been strangled by a partner had 6.70 times the chance of being the victim of attempted homicide (OR 6.70, 95 % CI 3.91–11.49) and 7.48 times the chance of being killed (OR 7.48, 95 % CI 4.53–12.35). Regarding legal protections, victims and their close relatives may call the police, who must intervene promptly, stop the abuse, gather evidence, and help arrange medical care and examinations. In less severe cases, police can issue a warning to the abuser. Any person facing domestic violence or a real threat of it may apply to court for a protection order; the court must decide within 72 hours, or within 24 hours if the situation is urgent. The order can forbid the abuser from using violence, harassing, stalking, or contacting the victim or her relatives, and may even require the abuser to leave the shared residence. Protection orders are valid for up to six months and can be renewed before they expire. No divorce is required to obtain one; the court can grant it when it finds there is “a relatively high possibility” of domestic violence. Violating a protection order can result in fines up to 1,000 yuan or detention for up to 15 days; where it is a crime, it is handled as the crime of refusing to carry out a judgment or ruling. Persistent humiliation, threats, stalking, harassment, and deliberate deprivation of food or warmth also count as domestic violence.

A 2017 notice from the Supreme People’s Court outlines four key points: Debts arising from illegal activities like gambling or drug use aren’t legally protected. Loans given to someone for such activities — where the creditor knew or should have known that the borrower would use it for gambling or drugs, also receive no legal protection. If one spouse takes out a loan in their own name for illegal acts and later tries to classify it as a joint marital debt, courts won’t approve this claim. Without a formal court trial, the non-borrowing spouse can’t be forced to bear any civil liability related to the debt (applies nationwide since 2017).

A 2022 risk warning from the Fujian office of the National Financial Regulatory Administration described this scheme. Client A lacked sufficient creditworthiness to qualify for a loan, so an intermediary suggested involving Client B — who had better financial standing — as a guarantor. In reality, the intermediary used B’s personal information to apply for the loan, which was then disbursed to A. Official documents stated that “Client B was effectively the borrower,” yet B remained unaware until receiving collection notices from the bank. A 2024 advisory from Shandong’s regulatory authority revealed that intermediaries often assure potential borrowers like B that “they bear no responsibility whatsoever.” They even coach B on how to respond to bank pre-loan inquiries, ultimately securing the loan in B’s name. In a 2024 case adjudicated by Shanghai’s Putuo District Court, a salesperson took B’s phone, downloaded a banking app, and applied for a loan directly in B’s name. The money reached B’s account, B transferred it to A, and A also paid over 80,000 yuan in fees. Eight members of the scam ring were convicted of contract fraud, receiving sentences ranging from 10 months to 4 years. Even with the intermediaries sentenced, the loan does not become anyone else’s. Article 149 of the Civil Code says that where a third party commits the fraud, the defrauded party can ask for rescission only if the other party “knew or should have known”. The other party here is the bank, and a bank that did not know cannot be made to cancel. A contract that can be rescinded must be challenged in court within 1 year from the day you learn you were deceived (Article 152). Borrowers remain bound by repayment terms per Article 675, and contracts legally bind only signatories (Article 465). Transferring debt obligations to another party requires explicit bank consent (Article 551). Consequently, any written assurances from A hold no sway over the bank. Victims must pursue legal action against A to recover funds. If you scanned your face for someone and did not read the contract, the court still recognizes the contract. In a case concluded in 2025 by the Shizhong District Court of Neijiang, Jiang (蒋某) borrowed from a small-loan company and could not borrow alone. The son of Zhang (张某), behind Zhang’s back, gave her identity information to Jiang so that she would be a co-borrower. The loan process required Zhang herself to scan her face. She did, but she did not read the contract. The court said she “should have foreseen the importance and legal consequences of face recognition”, and ordered her and Jiang to repay together the remaining principal of over 60,000 yuan. The Electronic Signature Law affirms that “reliable electronic signatures hold equal legal weight to handwritten signatures or seals.” Meanwhile, the Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law provides that no one may “provide real-name verification assistance”, with a fine for violation and detention in serious cases. At first instance the ordinary procedure is by regulation to be concluded within 6 months, which can be extended. Lawyer fees are not part of the statutory litigation costs and you pay them yourself (nationwide)

A crime survey in England and Wales asked 37,416 households between 2008 and 2012 which security measures they had installed, then compared those figures with actual burglary rates. Households with nothing installed made up just 4.9 % of all respondents yet accounted for 36.6 % of burglary victims. The researchers calculated a “protection factor” — how many times lower the burglary risk becomes compared to homes with no measures at all. Door and window locks together give a protection factor of 12.54, cutting the risk to roughly one-twelfth. Here “door locks” refers to double-bolted locks or deadbolts that need a key to retract. Adding an outdoor motion-sensor or timer-controlled light raises that factor to 34.41; adding indoor timer lights pushes it to 49. An outdoor light alone offers only about a 3-fold benefit, while a door lock alone gives roughly a 2.8-fold improvement. Window locks alone show no measurable effect. Installing all five measures does not yield a noticeably greater benefit than using the three most effective ones. Conversely, homes that install only an alarm actually experience a higher burglary rate than those with no measures at all; even fake alarm boxes seem to increase the chance of an attempted break-in. The key is actually locking everything: from 1993 to 2006/07, forced-entry burglaries — where thieves pried locks, broke windows or kicked in doors — fell from 31 to 7 per 1,000 households, a 77 % drop. In contrast, burglaries where the door or window was left unlocked and the intruder simply walked in stayed at 7 per 1,000 households throughout the same period (England and Wales).