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Man meets 'pretty lady from Guangdong' on TikTok and pays $4k to save her from prostitution, realises it's a scam
A 49-year-old air-conditioning technician, who only wanted to be known as Mr Lin (transliterated), was scrolling through TikTok on Dec 16 when a self-described "pretty lady from Guangdong" sent him a message on the app.
As the two began chatting, the woman told Mr Lin that she was being held captive in an Amoy Street shophouse as she was unable to repay her debts.
She asked Mr Lin to transfer $3,999 to save her from being forced into prostitution by her captors.
However, after making the payment, Mr Lin came to realise he had been scammed, and reported the matter to the police.
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, Mr Lin said: "The woman said she had only been in Singapore for three months when she fell victim to an investment scam, lost $20,000 and owed her 'boss' money. She was detained by him as she was unable to repay her debt."
He added that while he was initially suspicious, the woman called him later that day and cried during the call, claiming that she would be forced into prostitution if she did not pay up.Mr Lin said that although they had only chatted for a brief few minutes, the woman's emotional outburst had softened him, and he started to believe her.
"During the process, I repeatedly asked for a video call, but she kept refusing, claiming her captors would not allow it," Mr Lin said.
He added that on the first day they started chatting, the woman had already asked him to help repay the debt. While he remained cautious and did not agree, the two continued to communicate frequently.
"She even addressed me as 'dear' and promised to be my girlfriend if I helped repay her debt."
The pair continued chatting until Dec 20 when the woman's 'boss' sent Mr Lin an address on Amoy Street, telling him that the woman would be freed if he went there to make payment.
"It was a two-storey shophouse, with the ground floor locked by an iron gate. After I transferred $1,000, her 'boss' said it was already late and they couldn't let anyone leave the premises for the time being."
On Dec 22, the woman again urged Mr Lin to rescue her, prompting the technician to transfer another $2,999.
"After the transfer, the 'boss' suddenly said the woman also owed rent and asked me to transfer another $3,000. That's when I realised I had been scammed and decided to make a police report."
When Shin Min reporters visited the Amoy Street address, they found that the shophouse where the Guangdong woman was allegedly kept captive was actually a restaurant.
A spokesperson for the restaurant said they were unaware of the matter and had not been affected, adding that they would not pursue the issue.
The police confirmed that a report has been lodged.
