Chinese Influencer Scams 70-Year-Old Woman Out of $83,000

A Chinese influencer duped a lonely 70-year-old woman out of nearly 560,000 yuan (approximately Rs 64 lakh) after pretending to be the son she never had. He tricked the pensioner into trusting him over two years of fake stories and emotional manipulation.

Building Trust through Online Interaction

In 2021, a woman, named Tang, started interacting with Mao on social media, sending small gifts during his live streams. Mao, who had 42,000 followers, presented himself as a helpful person, claiming to support farmers and solve people's problems. Over time, he called her "mum" and built a relationship based on trust.

Manipulation and Emotional Exploitation

Mao fooled Tang by getting her to buy some fake health products and go into debt. He took her sympathy on issues of sickness and family troubles. She believed him, and borrowed money for him to satisfy his needs, going so far as to amass over 70,000 yuan (Rs 8 lakh) in debt. Mao kept on depleting her savings until Tang became suspicious.

Tang Takes Action After Doubts Arise

Tang took action when Mao's contact with her started to fade by the end of 2023. She tracked down his car's license plate during a personal visit and handed the information to the police. This led to Mao's arrest, and he was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison and fined 100,000 yuan (Rs 11 lakh).

Victim Struggles to Recover From Fraud

Tang, who relies on a 4,000 yuan (Rs 47,000) pension, now faces a mountain of debt. She refused help from authorities, though, saying she was ashamed to have been duped. With older people increasingly active online, experts have called for better protections against influencers and urged families to pay more attention to their elderly relatives' emotional needs.