'He will marry me': Teacher in China loses over $750k but refuses to part with love scammer
PHOTO: Screengrab/Douyin
PUBLISHED ONOctober 11, 2023 10:55 AMByChing Shi JieOne woman in China reportedly invested four million yuan (S$754,000) into a bitcoin project after being smitten by her online "boyfriend".
This was even though the 38-year-old teacher from Shanghai received multiple warnings from the police that she was being scammed, IFeng News reported on Oct 6.
In a video shared by the Chinese news outlet, the woman, surnamed Yuan, said that a "handsome and rich" man promised that she would make a fortune by investing in bitcoin.
Over a period of four months from last November to March, Yuan reportedly transferred the money after borrowing from the bank by using her home as collateral.
The police were later alerted of unusual activity in her bank account, and tried to warn the woman that she could be a victim of a love scam.
But Yuan lied that she was using the money to buy discounted bags from the man.
"The life pressure you gave me is bigger than that of being scammed," she said in her ninth meeting with the cops on Jan 9.
However, Yuan began suspecting that something was amiss when another woman on social media warned about her "boyfriend", according to China Focus.
Breaking down in tears, Yuan told the cops during her 12th meeting with them on March 9: "I don't believe it, he will marry me."
Speaking to the media, a police officer from the anti-scam team said that the woman's repeated denials were because she had invested so much money and emotions into the "relationship".
"She would rather believe the police were scammers,” the police added.