A scamming woman in China has tricked dozens of men into spending US$140,000 on a “love nest” only to disappear as soon as the deal is done. - Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
BEIJING: A total of 36 men in Shenzhen are alleged to have been swindled by the same woman who pretended to date them before luring them into buying flats in a nearby city.
The woman behind the scam identified herself as Liu Jia to each of the men while the houses she asked them to buy are in two residential blocks in Huizhou, a city about 90km away from Shenzhen and also in southern Guangdong province, reported Guangdong TV.
One of the victims, who uses the alias Atao, said he met Liu on an online dating platform in March last year and soon fell for her.
“She left me an impression of being tender, virtuous, family-oriented and considerate. I thought she was a perfect girlfriend,” Atao told the media.
According to Atao, Liu claimed to be 30 years old, hailing from Hunan province in central China and working in the electric-commerce industry in Shenzhen.
After dating for a month, the couple discussed marriage.
Liu told Atao that he must buy a house and then she would go with him to meet his parents before she agreed to cohabit with him.
To catalyse him to buy a flat, Liu offered to take 30,000 yuan (US$4,000) out of her own pocket to support him when paying the down payment. She “strongly recommended” two blocks in Huizhou, named Jiu Jing Tai and Hao Yi Shang Yuan, said Atao.
He said at that time, the property developers also launched housing subsidies worth over 100,000 yuan (US$14,000) to potential buyers.
Atao bought a flat in one of the two blocks. Liu refused to add her name onto the house ownership certificate. Once Atao finished the house buying processes, she began to treat him coldly.
She could not be contacted after this point, said Atao.
The “virtuous, perfect girlfriend” and one of her numerous scammed victims. - Photo: Weibo
Another victim, surnamed Wang, said Liu used the same modus operandi on him.
“After I bought the house, Liu Jia refused to meet me using the excuse of being busy,” Wang said. “She blocked me from calling her and deleted me from her contact list.”
Atao said according to his initial statistics, 36 men, all in their 30s and working in Shenzhen, have been tricked by Liu. They all dated her for just one or two months.
He said the brief romantic relationship cost him a home loan of 4,100 yuan (US$560) per month. He also needs to pay rent in Shenzhen and spend money taking care of his parents.
“I dare not have a girlfriend now,” said Atao.
It is not clear if the police have been called in to investigate.
Liu’s trick has become a topic of heated discussion on mainland social media.
“Liu Jia should be the sales champion of a real estate developer, haha,” joked one netizen.
While another person said: “These men are too careless. They trusted a person whom they only knew for a month.” - South China Morning Post
