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In one video, Yu, dressed in a food delivery service uniform, claimed to have delivered 43 orders in a single day, earning Rs 3,500 for his child.
He was neither a single father nor a delivery agent.
(Image for representation: News18)
A Chinese social media influencer with over 400,000 followers on Douyin, identified only by his surname Yu, has been arrested for fabricating a story about being a single father to gain sympathy and financial support online, South China Morning Post reported.
Yu, who uses the handle @qianyibaobei on the popular platform, claimed his daughter’s mother had abandoned them, leaving him as the sole caregiver. In his videos, he prominently displayed the message: “She does not have a mother.” To amplify his narrative, Yu shared more than 100 videos where he described his struggles, urging viewers to like his content to support his daughter’s livelihood.
In one video, Yu dressed in a food delivery service uniform and claimed to have delivered 43 orders in a single day, earning 300 yuan (approximately Rs 3,500) to provide better food for his child. His posts garnered widespread attention and sympathy from his followers, many of whom engaged with his content, believing his story.
An investigation by Chinese authorities revealed that Yu’s story was entirely fabricated. He was neither a single father nor a delivery agent and the child’s mother was found to be living with them. The delivery uniform Yu wore in his videos was purchased online.
The police have charged Yu with disturbing public order, a violation punishable in China with up to 10 days of detention and a fine of 500 yuan (approximately Rs 5,900). While details of Yu’s penalty have not been disclosed, the authorities emphasised the need for responsible behaviour on social media platforms.
The incident sheds light on a rising trend known as “sadfishing,” where individuals fake hardships to elicit sympathy and monetary support from online audiences. Yu’s case is not an isolated one. Earlier this year, a 21-year-old influencer with 4 million followers was sentenced to 11 months in prison and fined 80,000 yuan (approximately Rs 9.3 lakh) for pretending to live in poverty to deceive her audience.
Such cases show the importance of vigilance among social media users and the growing challenges faced by authorities in addressing misinformation and fraudulent behaviour in the digital space.
