Chinese influencer says she was lured to Cambodia with fake high-paying job
Chinese livestream influencer "Umi" says she was lured to Cambodia with a fake job offer, had her passport confiscated, and was forced into a cyber scam operation before being rescued by the Chinese embassy.
A Chinese social media influencer has alleged that she was lured to Cambodia with the promise of a high-paying job before being forced into a cyber scam operation, according to reports from South China Morning Post (SCMP) and Mothership.
The influencer, known online as "Umi", is a livestream host from Fujian province with around 24,000 followers on Chinese platforms. She previously drew public attention after being found in a distressed condition in Cambodia and later returning to China in January.
In a recent livestream titled "The Turbulent Story of Cambodia", Umi said she was deceived by a woman she knew who offered her an attractive job opportunity abroad. She claimed that upon arrival in Cambodia, her passport was confiscated and her movements were restricted.
She also alleged that she was forced into so-called "keyboard work", a term commonly associated with online scam operations targeting victims in cyber fraud schemes, SCMP reported.
"I was deceived by that woman, and she still hasn't been caught," she said during the livestream, adding that she regretted her decision to travel.
The livestream was cut off abruptly after around 30 minutes, and her social media account was later banned, according to reports.
Chinese media cited by Mothership said Umi was previously found injured and in a weakened condition in Cambodia, with photos circulating online showing her holding an X-ray film. She was later located at a hospital by the Chinese embassy and brought back to China for medical treatment.
Doctors in China reportedly found she tested positive for drugs, and her leg condition was believed to be caused by nerve compression due to prolonged immobility.
Reports also said her father, a farmer in Fujian, had believed she was working in another province and had sent her money over time before losing contact.
Her case has drawn renewed attention to cyber scam networks in Southeast Asia, where victims are often lured by fake job offers and later forced into online fraud operations.
A United Nations report has estimated that hundreds of thousands of people from multiple countries have been trafficked into scam compounds across the region in recent years.
