A "fake socialite" in Shenzhen rented luxury vehicles, hired an actress to pose as a mother, and faked a pregnancy to orchestrate a scam in swindling her boyfriend and friends out of more than 10 million yuan.
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Li, who used the alias "Duoduo," presented herself as a wealthy heiress of a multibillion-dollar medical equipment empire, claiming to have grown up abroad with elite social connections.
To enhance her fabricated image, she rented luxury sports cars, employed drivers, and made extravagant expenditures on gifts and entertainment.
In 2022, she crossed paths with Xu, a student returning from studying abroad, at a social event. They connected through their shared experiences overseas.
Following several meetings, they entered into a romantic relationship, during which Li asserted that she was pregnant. In light of this information, Xu's family welcomed Li into their home and initiated discussions regarding engagement.
Subsequently, with the guise of family business troubles and other pretexts, Li extracted over 10 million yuan from Xu's mother. She also scammed friends out of 1.7 million yuan by pretending to have access to discounted luxury goods, and borrowed 760,000 yuan that she spent on gambling and high living.
The fraudulent scheme unraveled in 2023 when Xu's family grew suspicious of her constant money demands.
The investigation revealed that Li was, in fact, a former employee of an entertainment establishment with no affluent background.
Before fleeing to Shanghai, Li stole and pawned multiple handbags belonging to Xu's mother.
Apprehended in January 2024, Li was sentenced to 13 years in prison for fraud and theft and a fine of 130,000 yuan (around HK$142,000) in April 2025 by Shenzhen's Nanshan District Court.
Mainland girls fake 'high-society' life by splitting costs for luxury photos
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In China, some companies cater to the fantasy of luxury by offering "socialite experiences" where young women split costs to rent designer clothes, stay in five-star hotels, and pose for staged photos—all to craft a wealthy online persona.
For as little as 200 yuan, customers can access high-end brands (Hermès, Chanel, etc.), luxury hotel backdrops, and professional photographers.
Some netizens praise these photoshoots as an affordable way for less privileged individuals to enjoy luxury-like experiences, applauding the well-designed scenes.
Others criticize the trend, pointing out cheap-looking props and potential health risks, such as skin infections from shared stockings.
More harshly, some accuse the trend of promoting gold-digging values, dismissing it as bait to attract wealthy partners.
