Refer China: Woman Claims Foreign Boyfriend Was Detained & Injured at Airport

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Woman Claims Foreign Boyfriend Was Detained and Injured at Airport, BUT...

Recently, Ms. Xiaomei (pseudonym) reported a distressing case at the Chongfang Police Station in Tancheng County, Linyi City, Shandong Province.

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She claimed that her "foreign boyfriend" had been injured and detained by "customs officers" at a Chinese airport. Alarmed and desperate, she pleaded for help from the police.

Upon thorough investigation, the police determined that Xiaomei had fallen victim to a sophisticated telecommunications and online romance scam.

Xiaomei, a wedding planner who had witnessed many love stories, longed for her own. A few months earlier, she met a man online who introduced himself as "Mike Bedford," a charming and handsome foreigner. Their daily conversations quickly blossomed into an online romance, filled with affectionate terms and romantic promises.

As the May Day holiday approached, "Mike" claimed he would travel to China to finally meet Xiaomei in person. To demonstrate his sincerity, he sent pictures of luxury gifts he was bringing for her, as well as a printed airline ticket and constant updates from his supposed journey — videos from the bus, airport, and even inside the plane.

But after allegedly landing at a Chinese airport, "Mike" suddenly informed Xiaomei that he was detained by customs for carrying a large sum of British pounds. He said he needed to pay a fine of 10,500 yuan but couldn't due to connectivity issues. He begged Xiaomei to pay on his behalf, promising reimbursement once he accessed a local bank.

He sent her a personal payment QR code, claiming it was from a customs officer. Xiaomei hesitated when she noticed it lacked any official information, but "Mike" pressured her with fake customs documents and tearful accounts of being hungry and mistreated.

Still believing in the man she had grown to love, Xiaomei tried contacting real customs authorities. They quickly confirmed her worst fears — she was being scammed. Customs officials do not use personal accounts for payments, nor do they detain travelers for carrying cash, let alone beat them.

When confronted with this, "Mike" stuck to his story but then abruptly claimed the issue was resolved when Xiaomei insisted on reporting it. Perplexed by the sudden turn, Xiaomei finally turned to local police for help.

The officers patiently explained that her online lover was a fraudster running a well-rehearsed "sweet trap." Xiaomei, though heartbroken, eventually accepted the truth.

This case serves as a sobering reminder: Not all love stories that begin online end in happiness — some are cleverly staged performances designed to exploit trust and emotions for financial gain.

Source: 海关发布