Advertisement

Hong Kong woman marries stranger in mainland China after being duped in job offer scam

Victim, 21, underwent training for wedding planner job that included ‘mock’ marriage to man at local government offices in Fuzhou, Fujian province

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
(From left): Sung Siu-kin, the victim and Tong Kang-yiu warn about the scam. Photo: Edmond So

A 21-year-old Hong Kong woman who was hoping to land her first job in the beauty industry ended up with a complete stranger for a husband in mainland China, falling victim to an apparent scam.

Advertisement

Recounting her experience, the woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she applied for a make-up artist apprenticeship in May but was later convinced to switch to wedding planning, for which she was required to play the role of a bride and sign a marriage certificate.

No money was involved.

“My biggest loss was having a marriage record,” the victim said.

She said the make-up artist job, which was posted on Facebook, offered a monthly salary of HK$14,000 (US$1,800) with free training and required no work experience. But the scammers told her a wedding planner could earn a higher salary depending on the commission.

Advertisement
The woman had been interested in a make-up artist apprenticeship. Photo: Edmond So
The woman had been interested in a make-up artist apprenticeship. Photo: Edmond So
Advertisement