A recent case in Anhui province has highlighted the potential pitfalls of traditional marriage arrangements and dowry disputes. A father, known as Old Zhang, and his son claim their family has fallen victim to what they describe as a "betrothal gift scam."
The Zhang family, from Bozhou in Anhui, were anxious to arrange a marriage for their younger son. "In our area, there are more men than women. If he doesn't marry soon, he really might not find a wife," Old Zhang explained. In August 2024, a fellow villager introduced them to a potential match: a woman in her mid-twenties from their town who was divorced and had a one-year-old daughter. The family had no objections, as their son had been through numerous unsuccessful matchmaking meetings.
In September 2024, the Zhangs met with the woman's family. The son was satisfied with the match. Through a matchmaker, the families agreed to a formal engagement by the end of the year. The dowry terms, as relayed by the matchmaker, included a cash gift of 200,000 yuan, gold jewelry, and substantial quantities of alcohol and beverages. It was agreed that 100,000 yuan would be paid at the engagement, with the remainder due at the wedding. The Zhangs agreed, eager to proceed.
Following local customs, the groom's family also purchased several sets of clothes for the bride. Spending records show purchases at several clothing stores in Bozhou in January 2025, with the most expensive item being a fur coat costing over 3,600 yuan. Additionally, the son purchased approximately 116 grams of gold jewelry from local gold shops, spending nearly 30,000 yuan.
Around the Lunar New Year period, Old Zhang and his son traveled to the woman's home with the 100,000 yuan in cash, a sheep, half a pig, 20 cases of a local liquor, and dozens of cases of beverages to formalize the engagement. The liquor, a local tradition, cost over 30,000 yuan for 140 cases. The visit was cordial, with the女方's family hosting a meal.
The original plan was to hold the wedding in the first lunar month following the engagement. However, when discussing wedding plans, the woman's family raised a new issue: the lack of a marital home. Old Zhang agreed purchasing a house was reasonable and subsequently bought a furnished apartment for over 800,000 yuan.
With the house settled, the Zhangs planned a wedding for May 2025. The bride's father then requested a postponement, citing the summer heat. When the son returned to Bozhou to take wedding photos, the woman reportedly refused. Through the matchmaker, her family presented a new demand: an additional 300,000 yuan in dowry.
After negotiations through the matchmaker, the amount was reportedly reduced to 180,000 yuan, then raised again to 200,000 yuan. Old Zhang reluctantly agreed to the 200,000 yuan. However, the女方's family then demanded an IOU for a further 60,000 yuan to cover two more batches of liquor, bringing the total new demand effectively back to 300,000 yuan. "We do manual labor; earning money isn't easy. We really can't come up with that," Old Zhang stated.
With the marriage plans collapsing, disputes over the betrothal gifts erupted. When Old Zhang called to request the return of the initial gifts, the woman's parents initially claimed they had only received 11,000 yuan and had never seen any gold. They later changed their story, saying their daughter had spent all the money on baby formula and that the gold was lost. Subsequent calls went unanswered.
The Zhangs reported the matter to the police. Authorities suggested they file a civil lawsuit. However, when they attempted to do so, they were reportedly advised by the court that they might lose the case due to a lack of direct evidence proving the transfer of the gifts, as no photos or receipts were taken during the engagement visit.
Old Zhang made inquiries in the town and was told by locals that the woman's father had a history of unstable work and that the family had allegedly been involved in similar situations before. The son provided chat records with the woman from September of the previous year. In the messages, he stated that he had complied with all her family's requests since they met. The woman replied that all the requested items were her own demands and had nothing to do with her parents. In later messages, she stated the engagement money had been spent on baby formula and was gone.
The dispute over the return of the betrothal gifts has led to multiple interventions by local police. Authorities in Bozhou's Qiaocheng District stated that marriage disputes do not fall directly under public security jurisdiction and that the parties should seek resolution through the courts. Police in the relevant town station confirmed they are handling aspects of the matter but declined to provide further details.
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