BEIJING, Dec. 26 -- Chinese police in 10 provincial-level regions have arrested 177 suspects in a telecom and online fraud case, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said Tuesday.

The amount of money involved in the case exceeded 10 million yuan (1.52 million U.S. dollars), according to the MPS.

Bank cards, mobile phones, SIM cards and computers were confiscated.

Police in east China's Jiangxi Province investigating a telecom fraud in July discovered gangs illegally obtaining citizen's information from the Internet and extorted victims, said the MPS.

The public should be alert to fraud and call the police when receiving ransom calls, the MPS said.

The case is under further investigation.