Police recently detained 29 suspects in a crackdown on an online fraud gang in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, which has scammed more than 1,500 people, Ningbo Daily reported.

According to a statement from the Jiangbei branch of the Ningbo bureau of public security, an operation was launched last week after police investigated the case for more than six months.

The gang started its online fraud activities in 2009 by establishing illegal websites , the statement said.

Investigations showed the gang has defrauded more than 2.16 million yuan (357,000).

The victims were tricked into giving their bank account numbers and passwords and their money was immediately transferred, the statement said.

The victims are from around the country.