Never lend your bank cards, SIM cards, or payment accounts to anyone — “money laundering” is not a side hustle

Renting, lending, or selling your bank cards, SIM cards, or payment accounts is illegal on its own. Penalties include confiscation of all illegal earnings plus a fine of 1 to 10 times that amount; if no earnings were made, the maximum fine is 200000 yuan. In serious cases, offenders face up to 15 days in detention, a negative credit record, and restrictions on account functionality. If you knowingly assist criminals by receiving or transferring money using these accounts, you could be convicted of aiding information network criminal activities, punishable by up to 3 years in prison.

Cost

Zero. Some people claim “just lend your card for a few transactions and you’ll get a few hundred yuan” — just say no.

Benefit

Engaging in any activity that involves renting, lending, or selling phone cards, bank accounts, payment accounts, or internet accounts is illegal. Authorities confiscate all illegal earnings and impose a fine of 1 to 10 times that amount; if no earnings exist, the maximum fine is 200000 yuan. Serious violations lead to detention of up to 15 days, a negative credit record, account restrictions, and suspension of all non-counter banking services. Knowingly providing payment settlement assistance to criminals constitutes aiding information network criminal activities (known as “helping information network crimes”), punishable by up to 3 years in prison and a fine nationwide.

Notes

Claiming “I had no idea what the other person intended to do with my cards” won’t protect you. Law enforcement determines intent based on external circumstances: receiving payment for lending cards or unusually large transaction volumes can be used as evidence of awareness. Even if you ultimately aren’t convicted, accounts used to receive illicit funds get frozen and you face other penalties. Doing someone else’s real-name verification by face scan or by reading verification codes carries the same penalties; see item 45 (help with a face scan).

Sources · 2

1. 全国人大常委会 (2022). 反电信网络诈骗法（第三十一、四十四条）. spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/202209/t20220902_575631.shtml
2. 全国人大常委会 (2015). 刑法修正案（九）（第二十九条，即刑法第二百八十七条之二）. spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/201802/t20180205_364562.shtml