Authorities in Dongguan, Guangdong, recently intercepted a parcel containing 1,120 grams of gold, successfully preventing a significant financial fraud. The criminal group lured victims with promises of high returns, convincing them to mail gold to fund investments on a fake financial platform. The entire deception has now been exposed.
Ms. Zhao, the victim, expressed lingering fear while reflecting on the scam after police recovered over a kilogram of her gold. An habitual investor in precious metals, Ms. Zhao encountered a stranger on a short-video platform while researching financial products in December last year.
The perpetrator initially engaged in daily small talk and greetings, sharing snippets of his life. After about twenty days of online conversation, he proposed guiding her to profitable investments. Once a rapport was established, the man persuaded Ms. Zhao to download an application named "Juhe," falsely claiming it offered low-risk, high-yield investment opportunities. The app has since become inaccessible.
Ms. Zhao was initially reluctant but agreed to test the platform with a small investment of 1,000 yuan. Surprisingly, she successfully withdrew 1,111 yuan. The fraudster then used excuses such as tax payments and transaction limits to persuade her to invest by purchasing gold and converting it into virtual currency on the platform.
Following instructions from a "customer service" representative on the Juhe app, Ms. Zhao handed over 250 grams of gold from her home to a courier. The gold was valued at over 200,000 yuan at the time. Her account on the app eventually showed total assets exceeding 320,000 yuan.
Enticed by the prospect of rapid profits far exceeding her usual earnings, Ms. Zhao decided to reinvest rather than withdraw, hoping to maximize gains. Under further persuasion, she increased her investment, purchasing approximately 1,120 grams of gold worth over 1.1 million yuan through a banking app and arranging five separate shipments to a specified address.
The next day, when Ms. Zhao attempted to withdraw some funds, the transaction failed. The app's support staff claimed her account was temporarily frozen pending delivery of the gold. Suspecting fraud, she immediately contacted the police.
Fortunately, her report was timely. Police coordinated with the delivery company and successfully intercepted the gold two days after shipment. Law enforcement emphasized that any online scheme involving strangers directing the purchase and shipment of gold or other valuables to unknown addresses is unequivocally a scam.
An officer from the Dongguan Anti-Fraud Center advised the public to remember that high returns always entail high risks. Investment opportunities promising zero risk and high profits are always fraudulent. He strongly warned against using gold, cash, or other physical assets for investment funding and recommended avoiding unofficial apps. Suspicious activities should be reported by calling 96110, and victims of fraud should contact 110 immediately while preserving crucial evidence.
Comments