Be alert to posing as a gas maintenance staff fraud

Recently, there have been many criminal acts in Beijing that have used fictional gas security inspection companies and pretend to be maintenance personnel of the company, to repair gas pipelines at home, to create the illusion of safety hazards, and to defraud the households. On June 18, 2013, the People's Procuratorate of Xicheng District of Beijing filed a public prosecution against the crime of suspected fraud by Yu Zhengxin to the People's Court of Xicheng District, Beijing.

Pretending to be a maintenance worker to defraud the household

"I was defrauded by RMB 8060 in the name of replacing the gas pipeline." At 11 o'clock on March 1, 2012, the victim of the nearly 80-year-old Wang Popo came to the police station and said to the police.

Through inquiries, the police handling the case learned that at the end of February 2012, Wang Popo saw a notice posted by the Beijing Gas Appliance Maintenance and Installation Center in the residential corridor where she lived. The notice stated: The gas pipeline was aging in the near future, causing gas accidents around the city. Frequently, it is necessary to replace the gas stove line of the old user's home for more than two years, and provide a hotline.

"I followed the phone number on the notice and asked them to come to my house to replace the special hose for the gas stove." At noon on March 1, 2012, Yu Zhengxin came to the residence of Wang Popo and carried out the gas equipment of Wang's mother-in-law. After inspection, Yu Zhengxin said to Wang Popo that her gas leaked and the gas stove was damaged. She suggested that she replace the gas stove.

According to the memory of Wang Po, afterwards, the man used a lighter to ignite the place where the gas pipe and the stove head were connected. This scene made Wang’s mother and her wife fear and immediately agreed to his request.

"After we agreed, the man gave me a gas stove that they brought, and I received RMB 8060 yuan and gave me a receipt. Afterwards, I found that there was no Beijing Gas Appliance Repair and Installation Center. The receipt provided does not have any company name, I found that I was defrauded and reported the police."

After understanding this situation, the public security organs quickly launched an investigation. At 23 o'clock on December 27, 2012, the police of the Xicheng Branch of the Beijing Public Security Bureau arrested the suspect in the case, Yu Zhengxin, in a hotel in Yanqing County, Beijing.

According to Yu Zhengxin's case after the case: In March 2012, he and other people in a residential area in the Xicheng District of the city, to repair and replace gas equipment to find safety hazards, the need to replace gas equipment, fraud victims of more than 8,000 yuan. In addition, Yu Zhengxin used the above methods to conduct excessive fraud activities in various districts and counties in the city and Tianjin.

Creating hidden dangers, dinosaurs’ fear

In order to make the fraudulent activities go smoothly, Yu Zhengxin fabricated a company called Beijing Gas Appliance Security Inspection Center, posing as an employee of the company, in order to require the residents of the community to post a “notice” in the name of the replacement of the hose used for more than two years. And left a phone call on the notice, after the residents made the call, Yu Zhengxin and others provided "home service."

"We are wearing work clothes, and the work clothes are also carrying a badge. In the repair process, the mud under the user's gas appliances is ignited. If the sludge can't be ignited, we will not pay attention to the user, apply glue on the sludge, and then ignite. To the user, the user is very scared after seeing it. We must replace the gas stove with the safety hazard of the gas stove. We also said that our company has the name of old-for-new, subsidy, depreciation, etc. It is recommended that users replace the products we bring."

Yu Zhengxin said that after obtaining the consent of the victim, he would recommend several gas cookers that they brought, ranging from 1,000 yuan to 8,000 yuan. Approved by the relevant departments, the products produced by Fang Zhengxin and others, which are marked by Fang Tai Kitchen & Bathroom Co., Ltd., are all counterfeit products.

"We use fake "Fang Tai" brand gas stoves and range hoods. Our products are very cheap. Generally, they are imported at a price of about one or two hundred yuan, but they are sold at high prices. The reason why they choose is too Because this brand is hard, the user knows a lot."

After reviewing the prosecutor in charge of the case, the suspect suspect Yu Zhengxin, for the purpose of illegal possession, fictionalized the identity of the Beijing Gas Appliance Maintenance and Installation Center employee, fraudulently lied that the gas equipment in the victim’s home was found to be a safety hazard and needed to be replaced. On the grounds that the victim is caught in misunderstanding and the payment of money is in accordance with the provisions of Article 266 of the Criminal Law of China on the crime of fraud, it should be convicted and punished with the crime of fraud.

Prosecutor Tips:

The prosecutor in charge of the case suggested that in this case, the targets targeted by criminals for fraud were relatively specific. Take the victim Wang Popo as an example. Most of the households staying at home are elderly households. The ability to deal with emergencies is relatively weak, which gives criminals a chance to take advantage of them. Yu Zhengxin himself also explained that in the process of inspection and repair, he created the illusion of safety hazards in gas equipment, allowing the victim to develop fear and make wrong judgments.

Here, the prosecutor reminds the general public to further improve their awareness of prevention and identification. In case of such problems, they should contact the relevant departments in time. At the same time, it is recommended that the property management department strengthen the management of residential areas to prevent such problems.