Shanghai Police Derail Romance Scam Involving 4.6m Yuan

A woman fell for an online romance scam, sending a so-called "military officer" four luxury watches, including Patek Philippe and Rolex models, worth over 4.6 million yuan (US $650,000). Shanghai police later tracked them down and recovered all the watches.

On the night of November 26, police in Shanghai's Huangpu District received an urgent alert from the city's anti-fraud center.

A woman surnamed Liu, who just arrived from another province, was suspected of being drawn into a romance scam by a man pretending to be a military officer, according to the police.

She had already wired large sums to an overseas account and was now making frequent high-end purchases in Shanghai, raising concerns that more valuables could be at risk.

Police found Liu near her hotel around 10pm. She firmly believed the "officer" she had been speaking to online and kept ignoring the police's warnings.

Her confidence only collapsed when police showed her a counterfeit military ID seized in a previous case. The photo was of the same man, but the name printed on the card was different.

Liu admitted that after arriving in Shanghai, she mailed four luxury watches to the suspect, who claimed they were needed to "top up an investment platform." Two parcels were already on the way to Guangzhou in southern China, and the other two were waiting at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport's logistics hub.

Shanghai's criminal investigation unit quickly worked with courier companies to stop the shipments.

By early next morning, all the four parcels had been intercepted, with two seized at a Guangzhou transit station and two at Pudong airport.

The case reflects a common practice in online romance scams, police said, where criminals take advantage of uniforms and military backgrounds to build trust. Once a romantic bond is formed, victims are persuaded to invest, especially those who are emotionally vulnerable or financially well-off.

After the watches were recovered, Liu returned home with her family. She will receive further psychological support.

Police warn the public to be cautious when trying to establish relationships online. If someone, who claims to be a member of the military or law enforcement, asks you to invest, transfer money, or send valuables, it is very likely a scam.