China’s booming digital sector has impacted various industries, including online dating and matrimonial services. While technology has made matchmaking more accessible, it has also created opportunities for fraudsters to take advantage of desperate individuals. Recently, a shocking scam involving matchmaking agencies in southwest China has come to light, targeting single men and causing them significant financial losses.

The Flash Marriage Scam Exposed

State media recently revealed that several matchmaking agencies in China were deceiving men by using women who pretended to be potential brides. One such woman is said to have earned 300,000 yuan (around Rs 35 lakh) in just three months by marrying clients, taking large sums of money or property, and then divorcing them under false claims of abuse.

In December 2023, this woman married a client but soon after filed for divorce, accusing him of domestic violence. During the divorce, she refused to return the 170,000 yuan (bride price) and even demanded shared property, including a car. After the divorce, she continued to attend blind dates arranged by the same matchmaking agency, which hid her divorce history to attract new clients.

Another Case of Flash Marriage Scam

In May 2023, a man named Liao traveled from Hubei province to Guiyang to meet a woman introduced by a matchmaking agency. They married within two days of meeting, and Liao gave her family a cash gift of $16,000. However, two months into the marriage, things began to fall apart. His wife constantly left their home to return to Guiyang, argued with him, and demanded expensive items like a home and a car. Later, Liao discovered that she had five children from previous marriages, a detail the agency had hidden. When he tried to get a refund from the agency, he found it had been shut down due to a police investigation.

The Recruitment Process Behind the Scam

Fraudulent agencies recruited women—often divorced and in debt—to participate in these scams. Some women reportedly earned up to $42,000 in just a few months by taking part in the "flash marriages." These agencies mainly targeted men from smaller cities or remote areas, who were more vulnerable and desperate for companionship. Many of these men agreed to marry within days of meeting the women, after which they were pressured into paying significant sums, including a bride price.

What Is a Flash Marriage?

A flash marriage involves couples marrying after knowing each other for a very short period, often less than a month. These marriages usually end quickly, with brides disappearing, leaving, or pressuring their husbands into divorce through constant conflict and demands.

The Huaguoyuan area in Guiyang, Guizhou province, has become a known hotspot for matchmaking fraud. Since March 2023, over 180 reports of matchmaking fraud have been filed in the region. Authorities have already resolved 50 disputes related to large matchmaking fees, and many of the fraudulent agencies involved have been shut down.

As such scams continue to rise, authorities are increasing their efforts to crack down on fraudulent matchmaking agencies, with investigations still ongoing.

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