A Qingdao man lost 2,300 yuan in a part-time job scam where a 54-member group had 53 scammers. Learn how the 8-yuan red envelope trick, fake earnings, and anti-fraud warnings trapped him. Police warn against upfront payments.
Tags:A part-time job advertised as an easy way to make extra money has exposed a disturbing new tactic in China’s online fraud industry: scammers allegedly creating entire fake communities to convince victims that everyone else is making money.
The scheme reportedly began with an 8-yuan (about US$1.10) payment.
Mr. Lu, a man from Qingdao, Shandong Province, met an online user named “Lili” in a study group. She introduced him to a supposed part-time job involving liking public accounts and completing simple online tasks. The offer promised low entry requirements and quick commissions.
Lu decided to try it. After completing his first task, he actually received an 8-yuan red envelope.
That small payment was enough to lower his guard.
“Lili” then instructed him to download a dedicated part-time job app and added him to a 54-member task group. The group had people posing as instructors who explained how to complete the so-called orders, making the operation look like a legitimate online employment platform.
screenshot from msn
Lu said the group members regularly posted screenshots of their earnings. Some claimed to make thousands of yuan from a single task, while others shared photos of expensive meals, hotels and seemingly luxurious lifestyles.
The scammers also introduced a tiered system. Members were told that the more money they deposited, the higher their account level would become—and the greater their daily returns would be. Lu was encouraged to put in 10,000 yuan, then 30,000 yuan and eventually even more.
“I originally stayed rational and didn’t want to invest too much,” Lu said. “But gradually, I felt I couldn’t hold back. I really wanted to upgrade my level.”
The most deceptive part came when anti-fraud warnings appeared.
Lu received official anti-fraud text messages and calls and posted screenshots of them in the group. Instead of panicking, the scammers allegedly sent him a red envelope and posted their own “anti-fraud notice,” warning group members not to fall for scams.
screenshot from msn
The move appeared designed to make the operation look even more legitimate.
Lu eventually invested about 2,300 yuan. On the fifth day, the app suddenly required a mandatory upgrade. He was told he had to increase his investment to 5,500 yuan or he would be unable to withdraw either his original money or his supposed earnings.
screenshot from msn
He was later encouraged to invest tens of thousands of yuan to unlock higher-level accounts.
When Lu discovered that an 800-yuan commission he had supposedly earned could not be withdrawn through his bank, he finally became suspicious and contacted his bank.
The bank immediately activated a police-bank fraud prevention mechanism and contacted the Anti-Fraud Center of the Chengyang Branch of the Qingdao Public Security Bureau.
Police officer Dong Jilong quickly contacted Lu and met him in person. The intervention successfully stopped him from making further transfers and potentially suffering a much larger financial loss.
screenshot from msn
According to police, the case reflects several emerging features of task-based rebate scams: sophisticated psychological manipulation, increasingly convincing disguises and aggressive pressure designed to keep victims depositing money.
The most shocking detail was the group itself. Of the 54 people in the chat, 53 were allegedly “actors” working with the scammers, while Lu was reportedly the only genuine target.
Police are warning the public that online “task jobs” promising high commissions should be treated with extreme caution. Offers requiring people to pay upfront, download unknown apps or transfer money to personal accounts may be part of a scam.
The lesson is simple: if a “part-time job” asks you to pay money before you can make money, the job may be the trap.
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Editor:Vivi G
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