In mid-July, Chinese social media exploded over the story of “Uncle Red” — a man who disguised himself as a woman to date and deceive multiple men. The bizarre case quickly went viral, inadvertently reviving a notorious 2016 dating scam involving a woman who dated 20 men at once, asking each of them for an iPhone 7.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the incident — now resurfacing with over 10 million online views — involved an unnamed woman from Shenzhen who, at the time, worked a low-paying office job. Despite her modest income, she surprised colleagues by announcing she had purchased real estate in her hometown. It was later revealed that she funded the apartment’s down payment by reselling 20 iPhones gifted by her suitors.
Each man was reportedly asked to buy her an iPhone 7. After collecting all the devices, she sold them through an electronics marketplace, earning approximately 120,000 yuan (around $16,600 USD). A staff member at the trading company later confirmed that most of the phones were brand new and still sealed in their boxes.
“We received an order from a woman who said she had 20 iPhone 7s for sale. Most were unopened. Each device sold for over 6,000 yuan,” the employee stated.
At the time, her coworkers were stunned by the revelation. “She was always friendly and cheerful. We never expected this from her,” one colleague said. “We couldn’t believe she did it for money. I heard the company was planning to fire her,” another added.
Despite happening nearly a decade ago, the case has resurfaced amid growing public concern over online dating scams and romance frauds. Many netizens now draw parallels between this woman and “Uncle Red,” calling them “siblings in scamming.”
As romance scams grow more elaborate in the digital age, the story remains a cautionary tale. Social media users are warning others to remain alert and skeptical when building relationships online.
Sources: znews
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