SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
Over 1,300 Arrested in ‘Tea Leaves’ CHINA Online Dating Scam
World Record For Romance Scammer Arrests!
Gangs used chat apps, hot models, and herbal infusions to entrap lovelorn men.
Police in the southern province of Guangdong have busted huge rings of online dating scammers who posed as attractive women to defraud men into buying pricey tea and other products, Guangzhou Daily reported Friday.
Local police announced at a briefing on Thursday that they had cracked 13 gangs and apprehended 1,310 suspects. Each gang could approach up to 1,500 victims per month, as their members would seduce many men simultaneously.
“These scam gangs [succeed] because they capture the psychology of many men: When facing beautiful women, men lose their judgement, and feel too shy to refuse,” a Guangdong police officer said at the briefing.
According to the police, the gangs used models’ photographs and the People Nearby function on WeChat, China’s most popular messaging app, to lure victims into chatting. After months of building up trust, they would swindle their “boyfriends” by using fictional family tragedies as ruses to promote tea, wine, or investment in precious metals through a platform controlled by the group.
One long con involved homegrown tea. Police explained that the gangs had developed a 60-day formula for fraud: The scam artists would spend 15 days casually chatting, five days pushing the relationship into a romance, and 20 days showing the boyfriend that they had gone to take care of an ailing grandfather in their hometown, where they were also learning how to produce tea. The gang even hired models in hot pants to pose for photos and videos in southeastern China’s Yunnan province, one of the country’s well-known tea-producing regions.
The scam would reach its climax in the last 20 days, when the boyfriend would be repeatedly persuaded to buy expensive tea leaves. By the time the target realized he’d been had, he would get blocked.
According to Guangzhou Daily, most of the con artists were millennials, while others were “middle-aged uncles who liked to pick at their feet.” Some networks sold tea, while others used tobacco, alcohol, health products, or even oil paintings as their bait of choice.
Hundreds of people have been arrested for taking part in online dating scams in China. In 2017, police in eastern China’s Zhejiang province busted an operation that had used photos of beautiful women to lure victims into lotteries controlled by their ring. Another case in northeastern China’s Liaoning province in 2016 saw 500 suspects arrested.
SOURCE: http://gzdaily.dayoo.com/pc/html/2018-06/01/content_9_1.htm?v=FD
-/ 30 /-
What do you think about this?
Please share your thoughts in a comment below!
Article Rating
Table of Contents
MOST POPULAR COMMENTED ARTICLES
POPULAR ARTICLES
Rapid Report Scammers
In the U.S. & Canada
U.S. & Canada Suicide Lifeline 988
RATE THIS ARTICLE?
LEAVE A COMMENT?
Thank you for your comment. You may receive an email to follow up. We never share your data with marketers.
Recent Comments
On Other Articles
on Common Tactics & Types Of Relationship Scams: “Having this information now is critical for preventing being scammed again and again. Understanding that the landscape is constantly changing,…” Apr 25, 18:39
on Recognizing Fake U.S. Military Identification Cards – Infographic: “It is a crime to copy or photograph a Military ID. Just by them sending it to you means it…” Apr 25, 00:51
on Recognizing Fake U.S. Military Identification Cards – Infographic: “How can u tell if it’s a real military id” Apr 24, 23:54
on Retrospective Framing – A Cognitive Bias That Changes The Past – 2023: “Thank you for this great article. I have experienced a small portion of retrospective framing in the last days of…” Apr 23, 16:18
Important Information for New Scam Victims
- Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
- Enroll in FREE SCARS Scam Survivor’s School now at www.SCARSeducation.org
- Please visit www.ScamPsychology.org – to more fully understand the psychological concepts involved in scams and scam victim recovery
If you are looking for local trauma counselors please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org or join SCARS for our counseling/therapy benefit: membership.AgainstScams.org
If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
A Note About Labeling!
We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!
A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.
Criminal should be locked up in a jail cell rest of their life.
One woman who talk to me fro irinmorgan@gmail.com and mobile number +233507331737 tried to scam me many times . She said lives in Accra Ghana and ask me US 300 to get acces to some money and i never believed her. I think she is Jelena Jensen
That’s so awesome that they arrested that many people