Woman arrested for extorting online retailers with fabricated child injury claims
Shanghai police have arrested a 33-year-old woman accused of extorting online retailers out of over 30,000 yuan by faking claims that children were injured by needles hidden in clothing. She allegedly committed nine such acts over 1.5 years.
Shanghai police have apprehended a 33-year-old woman suspected of engaging in large-scale fraud and extortion against multiple online clothing retailers. The suspect allegedly fabricated incidents where she claimed children were injured by needles concealed within garments, demanding compensation from nine different businesses over an 18-month period, accumulating over 30,000 yuan (approximately $4,100 USD).
Authorities state the woman previously worked in customer service for e-commerce companies, giving her insight into how businesses prioritize avoiding negative publicity and often settle complaints quickly. This experience reportedly inspired her to pursue fraudulent claims after she herself received compensation from a retailer for an injury caused by an item she purchased.
During her alleged scheme, the woman used accounts belonging to friends and family to purchase clothing items. Upon receiving the goods, she is accused of cutting up household needles and using her own blood to simulate injuries to children caused by the clothing. She then contacted retailers, demanding significant compensation and threatening negative reviews and online exposure if her demands were not met.
The scheme unraveled when a retailer selling down jackets received a complaint demanding both a full refund and an additional 3,000 yuan in compensation. Store employees recognized similarities to a previous complaint and alerted the police. By cross-referencing multiple cases, investigators identified and apprehended the suspect. The investigation revealed she targeted three distinct brands and successfully obtained refunds and compensation in some instances, while also keeping the merchandise.
Police are reminding consumers that while legitimate rights protection is lawful, fabricating injuries and using threats for financial gain constitutes criminal extortion. They advise online retailers not to concede immediately to such demands but to gather evidence and report suspicious claims to law enforcement.