Selling of credit cards is a crime, not a grey area

A Chinese woman shows credit cards and other bank cards in Qionghai city, south Chinas Hainan province, April 14 2012. [Photo/IC]

THE SELLING, USING, RENTING AND PURCHASING OF CREDIT CARDS has become a business, and it is easy to buy someone else's credit card online, which has turned out to be the source of financial crimes and online fraud. It is high time such crimes were cracked down on. Beijing News comments:

There have been reports about companies openly "renting" credit cards to other companies to help them get loans. By using credit cards in other people's names, they shirk the repayment responsibility that credit card holders are supposed to shoulder, which gives some companies and individuals opportunities to commit illegal activities. As a result, internet fraud, getting loans through illegal channels and money laundering are rampant.

Those involved in such illegal business claim this is a "grey" area that the law has not clearly defined as illegal. But that is wrong. Relevant regulations stipulate that credit card holders are not allowed to rent or sell their cards to others. The Criminal Law unambiguously states that it is a crime to steal, buy, or rent materials to apply for credit cards and those committing such acts face criminal penalties.

The underground chain of using, renting or purchasing credit cards to obtain loans is a crime and those committing such a crime should receive their due penalty according to the law.

Currently some online shopping platforms have already prohibited shops from selling or renting credit cards, but some still sell or rent them via social media platforms, such as Tencent's instant messaging app WeChat. Therefore, the companies that operate the social media platforms must take action, too, and prohibit the selling of credit cards.

More importantly, the police and the judiciary must strengthen measures to strike at the underground chain.