7 months ago
13
In a unique case resembling Stockholm syndrome, a 40-year-old Chinese woman fell in love with a romance scammer who cheated her out of Rs 11 lakh (US$14,000). Despite the significant financial loss, she continued to harbour positive feelings for him and even assisted in his fraudulent activities. The woman, captivated by the scammer's deceitful charm, became an accomplice, helping him con other unsuspecting victims.
According to The South China Morning Post, "She believed his story about being forced to meet a quota by a scamming ring in Myanmar and agreed to help secure his release so they could be together in China. The woman, surnamed Hu, from Shanghai, met the man, identified as Chen, on an online dating platform in May last year. Chen convinced Hu he was a decent person and claimed to have an investment account with high returns, which he persuaded her to invest in. When Hu later discovered she could not withdraw the money, she realised she had been conned."
Chen, claiming to be trapped in a northern Myanmar scam operation, convinced Hu to help him. He stated that he needed to meet a financial target before being allowed to return to China. Despite being aware of his true occupation, Hu maintained a romantic connection with Chen. Their online communication even went so far as to use terms of endearment typically reserved for spouses. Chen promised to return to China upon reaching his quota, leading Hu to unknowingly assist him by facilitating the transfer of funds obtained through fraudulent means.
Police arrested Hu on September 19 last year. During her trial, she confessed to her crimes. Her actions have surprised many people in China.
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