Although it's a little tricky here, but once you acquired necessary Chinese IDs with debit cards (more than easy), it's not too hard, old people in villages are more than willing to sell theirs for sevral hundred RMB.

As for authorities, oh they are more busy maintaining social stability, if your case(assuming they allow you to register your case since it's obviously a dead end that effects their stats vital for promotion) are lucky enough to be included in an operation couple months later then maybe they can find out which countries these hustlers are at and cases closed.