Chinese man rescued from captivity after writing SOS messages on banknotes

A man who was being held captive in a residential building in eastern China by a group that ran a pyramid scheme was freed after throwing almost 800 yuan (HK$930) of banknotes with help messages on them, the Modern Express reports.

One of the 50 yuan notes was picked up by an elderly woman who was walking in the residential area in Changzhou, Jiangsu province. She read the handwritten messages of “help” and “110” – the emergency police number – but thought it was a prank.

She took it more seriously the next day after she found a piece of paper wrapped around a 100 yuan note with more messages and an identity card, and called the police.

Police officers found the man in an apartment on the fifth floor, and the captive broke down in tears when they arrived.