In a cautionary tale, a 25-year-old food delivery rider in Hong Kong, known as Binzai, found himself entangled in a scam after boasting about his substantial income in a street interview.
His revelation in a TikTok video about earning HK$50,000 ($8,500) a month and saving over HK$500,000 attracted the attention of a person who, posing as a potential collaborator, turned out to be a scammer, according to a report by The New Paper.
II. The Boastful Revelation
According to a Dimsum Daily report back in September; Binzai, who hails from Haifeng, Shanwei; shared in a street interview that he earned HK$50,000 a month, working long hours from 9 am to 10 pm as a food delivery rider and earning more than many office workers.
His claims of financial success and prudent savings became the focal point of his TikTok video, as he claimed that he can complete as many as 7 food deliveries in just an hour, effectively netting him around HK$200 (or SGD$34) per hour.
He also shared that he only finished junior high school and lacked interest in studying, choosing to start working instead.
Binzai’s public declaration inadvertently drew attention, not just from admirers but also from a scammer who sought to exploit his perceived wealth.
The Scammer’s Approach
The scam unfolded when an individual, posing as a woman interested in collaboration, reached out to Binzai after discovering him on TikTok. Initially, the conversation seemed centered around potential content creation for the platform.
As the exchange progressed, the person shifted the tone, flirting with Binzai through messages. Leveraging emotional manipulation, she eventually convinced him to meet up in Mong Kok.
The Scam Unveiled
Binzai later disclosed in another TikTok video that the meetup was, in fact, part of a scam. He expressed fear and apprehension throughout the encounter, realizing he had fallen victim to a deceptive ploy.
In response to the incident, netizens expressed their concern for Binzai’s safety and urged him to file a police report. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the increasing prevalence of scams, with individuals sharing their own experiences involving victims being lured to unfamiliar places.
Image source: Bin Zai via Dimsum Daily