Hundreds fall victim to ‘Voice of China’ winner scam
A syndicate based across the mainland told victims they had won prizes, but first needed to pay a ‘tax’, according to a newspaper report
Thirty-eight people have been arrested on suspicion of running a huge scam in which they posed as the organisers of a popular TV talent show, according to a newspaper report.
The suspects got in touch with victims online or by phone claiming they ran The Voice of China and said that those contacted had won prizes, but to claim them “winners” had to pay a deposit or “tax”, the Sichuan Daily said.
The Voice of China reality television show attracts more than 120 million viewers
The show, part of the The Voice franchise, is one of the most watched shows on the mainland.
A few hundred people were duped by the scam and cheated out of more than 20 million yuan (HK$24 million), according to the report.
A team of more than 20 police officers was set up to track down the suspects, who were operating across the country, including in Anhui, Jiangsu and Hainan provinces.