Xi Cracks Down on Scams With China’s Huge Surveillance State

Illustration by Xinmei Liu

The Big Take

Inside Xi’s Crackdown on Scams With China’s Huge Surveillance State

Police are intercepting calls and showing up at people’s homes, rattling some citizens and raising questions about privacy.

Shortly after he answered a call from an overseas number, Henry Guo, a retail worker in Shanghai, said he was contacted by local police. They told him it was a scam call and requested an in-person chat.