A man in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province fell victim to a complex scam combining seduction and fraudulent task schemes, losing a significant sum of money through online loans. The incident began when the man, identified as Mr. Chen, was enticed by an advertisement for "local dating" in the early hours of May 29th.
He downloaded an illicit application and was instructed by a customer service representative that he needed to complete certain paid tasks to unlock dating privileges. Driven by desire, Mr. Chen first completed a task costing 4,800 yuan.
Subsequently, the fraudsters claimed his account was frozen due to an operational error, demanding large transfers to unfreeze it. Overwhelmed and hiding the situation from his pregnant wife at home, Mr. Chen proceeded to transfer 88,000 yuan and then 62,000 yuan via online loans, totaling losses of 154,800 yuan.
Upon realizing the funds were gone, feelings of shame and a false hope took over. When local police from the Tianhe派出所 called with a high-risk anti-fraud warning, Mr. Chen chose to evade them. He provided misleading excuses, hung up, turned off his phone, and left his home, hiding in a remote location for nearly four hours.
During this time, the scammers intensified their pressure, threatening legal consequences if he did not continue transferring money. Simultaneously, Mr. Chen grappled with immense guilt towards his family. The situation pushed him to the brink of a mental breakdown.
The turning point came when he finally checked his phone and saw dozens of unread messages and missed calls from the determined police officers. This outreach became a lifeline in his despair. Mr. Chen realized that continuing to hide would only lead to complete financial ruin.
To protect what remained of his family's assets, he mustered the courage to walk into the police station himself at 12:30 PM. Officers immediately initiated emergency fund-freezing procedures. Through swift action, they successfully froze the involved accounts, intercepting 114,973 yuan and recovering a substantial portion of his losses.
The case has now been officially filed for investigation, with authorities working to trace and recover the remaining stolen funds.
Understanding the Victim's Disappearance
Police analysis indicates that victims deliberately avoiding law enforcement is not uncommon in such cases. Key reasons often include the shame associated with the "dating" motive, fear of family or police discovery, and the scammers' deep psychological manipulation through threats of frozen accounts, lost funds, or alleged illegal activity.
Additionally, victims often cling to the false hope that "one more transfer" will allow them to withdraw money, coupled with an extreme desire to escape the reality of their massive financial loss and the inability to face their families.
Decoding the "Dating" Scam Pattern
This type of fraud, which preys primarily on men lured by promises of illicit encounters, often proceeds more smoothly as victims are motivated by desire rather than pure greed. The common套路 involves several stages.
First, scammers disseminate false advertisements for "local services" or dating via SMS, browsers, or social apps. Second, they诱导 victims to download a fraudulent application and add them to chat groups for further manipulation.
Third, under the guise of offering free services after completing tasks, they trick victims into performing刷单, investments, or gambling within the app, or paying for membership fees. Initial small investments are rewarded to build trust before larger sums are demanded.
Finally, once a victim has invested significantly, scammers invent excuses like "system errors" or "operational mistakes" to demand more money. When the victim realizes the funds are inaccessible and the scam is exposed, the criminals vanish with the money.
Common Methods Used to Lure Victims
Scammers employ several引流 tactics. They place ads on risque websites or within adult content applications, targeting male users who visit such platforms. They also use location-based features on apps like WeChat or QQ to add users near hotels or lodgings.
Another method involves sending SMS with explicit content containing links to download fraudulent "dating apps." Furthermore, they operate on popular social and交友 software like探探,陌陌, Soul, and抖音, leaving contact details under suggestive posts or engaging with users' profiles to initiate contact and later shift the conversation to other platforms to execute the fraud.
Essential Reminders from Authorities
Online solicitation and transactions involving pornography are illegal, and participants face legal consequences. The public is urged not to believe in any get-rich-quick schemes or easy "work-from-home" opportunities, as these are often traps set for the inexperienced.
If you suspect you have been defrauded, it is crucial to preserve all chat and transaction records and immediately contact the police by dialing 110 or the anti-fraud hotline 96110 for assistance.
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