Top-tipper gets 3 years jail for conning influencer out of ¥120k

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A Chinese influencer has become a viral sensation on social media after sharing her story of being deceived by a "top-tipper" follower online, resulting in a loss of 120,000 yuan. The influencer, known as Ling, hails from Hubei province in central China, and the incident took place during a live-streaming chat room session she hosted in April of last year.

According to Chinanews, Ling fell victim to a man named Xiong, who managed to defraud her on more than 30 occasions within a few months. The series of events began when Xiong left an unfriendly comment online, criticizing live-streaming hosts for their apparent greed for cash rewards. This comment caught Ling's attention, leading to a heated argument between the two. However, as their discussions progressed, they began conversing more broadly.

Xiong claimed that he had spent a substantial amount of money on cash rewards for another female live-streaming host. However, he stated that he was blacklisted once he stopped providing her with monetary gifts. Consequently, Xiong developed a negative perception of female live-streaming hosts, believing them to be gold-diggers who aimed to deceive their followers for financial gain.

Ling empathized with Xiong's story and attempted to show him that not all women influencers were solely motivated by money. She told Chinanews, "Everyone is different. If you don't know someone, please don't make judgments on your own." Ling even invited Xiong to participate in a real-time online chat during one of her live-streaming sessions, aiming to convince him that her purpose was to share her love for music and make genuine connections.

As Ling's trust in Xiong grew, they continued to communicate more frequently. Despite his earlier claims of being conned, Xiong started providing Ling with cash rewards and praising her singing voice when he attended her live-streaming music programs. Although the amounts were relatively small, only a few yuan each time, Xiong soon became her most generous tipper.

Over time, Ling began considering Xiong as a close friend and even regarded him as part of her family. It was at this point that he started borrowing money from her. However, the truth about Xiong's true intentions surfaced when he feigned the need for a lawyer to resolve a legal dispute. Manipulating Ling, he convinced her to loan him money for legal services. When he failed to repay her, Ling decided to involve the police.

Upon investigation, the police discovered that Xiong was a scammer, leading to his imprisonment for three years and a fine of 20,000 yuan.

The details of Ling's harrowing experience have sparked a lively discussion on social media in China. One individual commented, "What a ridiculous story!" Another questioned the reliability of a relationship based on exchanging cash rewards.

Source: SCMP