Chinese influencer Umi's Cambodia cyber scam live-stream cut off; account banned. She claims forced 'keyboard work', passport seized. Family sent 80,000 yuan.
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A Chinese influencer’s live-stream recounting how she was lured to Cambodia and forced into a cyber scam operation was abruptly cut off, shortly before her social media account was banned. The incident has reignited public concern over the growing number of young Chinese being trafficked into fraud rings in Southeast Asia.
The 20-year-old influencer, known online as Umi, hails from Fujian province in southeastern China and has 24,000 followers on mainland social media platforms. Earlier this year, she gained national attention after being found in distress in Cambodia and safely returning to China in January.
Three months ago, a netizen spotted a woman with a leg injury near a hotel in Cambodia. After passport details circulated online, the woman was identified as Umi. Photographs showed her looking gaunt, exhausted, and filthy, clutching a CAT scan—visual evidence of her ordeal.
According to mainland media outlet Jimu News, Umi’s father, surnamed Wu, a farmer, reported that the family had long believed she was working in Zhejiang province. Over time, he had sent her more than 80,000 yuan (US$12,000) in response to her repeated requests for money. Wu said he contacted the police after the photos emerged and he could no longer reach his daughter.
Investigators later discovered that Umi had traveled to Cambodia in April last year. The Chinese embassy in Cambodia subsequently located her at a hospital, arranged for her transfer for treatment, and her mother later brought her back to China.
Doctors in China later confirmed that Umi tested positive for drugs and indicated her leg problems were likely caused by nerve compression after a prolonged period of immobility—hinting at the harsh conditions she endured.
After returning home, Umi gradually resumed her social media activity and live-streaming business. She later revealed that shortly after being lured to Cambodia, she was forced into “keyboard work”—a term widely linked to telecom fraud.
On April 3, she launched a live-stream titled “The Turbulent Story of Cambodia,” offering her first public account of how she ended up overseas. Speaking in a frail voice and pausing frequently, she recounted how she was lured abroad by a woman she knew, who promised her a high-paying job. However, upon arriving in Cambodia, her passport was confiscated and her movements were restricted.
She stated that she was forced to engage in so-called “keyboard work,” a euphemism widely associated with telecom fraud operations. “I was deceived by that woman, and she still hasn’t been caught,” she told her viewers, her voice filled with regret.
Umi remained evasive about many details, repeatedly mentioning that she would explain more later, adding only that she “really regretted it”—leaving viewers with more questions than answers about her traumatic experience.
The live-stream was cut off after about 30 minutes, likely due to the sensitivity of the subject, though authorities have not yet verified Umi’s claims. Days later, her social media account was banned, sparking renewed online concern over the increasing number of young Chinese being drawn into scam operations in Southeast Asia.
One online observer commented: “I hope Umi can one day emerge from this dark chapter. Her story is a warning to everyone: there is no easy money.”
Cyber scam operations across Southeast Asia have surged in recent years. A United Nations report estimates that about 300,000 people from 66 countries, including China, have been trafficked into fraud compounds throughout the region. These criminal networks typically lure victims with bogus high-paying job offers and carry out impersonation scams, preying on vulnerable individuals seeking better opportunities.
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Editor: Crystal H
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