There’s a new WeChat scam making it’s rounds in Beijing as of late — and it’s got us thinking about the legendary Nigerian prince email scam, if only for it’s promises of getting rich quick without any effort.
What is the scam about?
Unlike the Nigerian prince email, the WeChat scam goes like this: an “agent” will either post in a group or message people directly claiming if you send them a small amount of money, they’ll invest it and immediately give you a much higher return. For instance, if you fork over RMB 500, the agent will promise to send back RMB 3000 after having “invested” the initial 500, all within 24 hours.
Is the screenshot staged?
There’s also been a screenshot making the rounds in regards to the scam, but as of press time we’ve not been able to confirm if it’s legit or just staged.
Think about it — how could someone who’s suspicious of a kind stranger asking for their money just flip on a dime when said stranger pulls a George Washington and says “I cannot lie to you.”
If it wasn’t staged, it’s just part of the bait aimed at luring people into forking over more cash for bigger “investments.”
Once someone sends over that initial RMB 500 and gets RMB 3000 back, they’re likely to get greedy and keep sending over more and more money until they realize it’s a scam. It’s a bit like gambling for the guillible: send some cash, get a bit in return, and you’ll want to keep sending more and more.
The takeaway is to always stay alert to scams that promise…
