Fake traditional Chinese medicine wellness scam targets elderly, warn victims who lost life savings and wound up in debt

A retired Shanghai woman reportedly spent over 1.5 million yuan (US$236,000) and went into debt buying health services from a wellness scam over the past four years.

The 74-year-old woman, called Fang Fang (not her real name), said many of her friends have used up their pensions only to find the expensive health services they paid for are ineffective. To avoid conflict with their children, they usually hide their experiences from their families.