On 5/1, the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia announced it is assisting with the repatriation procedures for Wu Zhenzhen, known as Umi, after she was rescued from a scam operation.

The incident caused a stir on social media when a video of an emaciated young woman, huddled by the roadside in Cambodia, went viral earlier in January. The video showed her with disheveled hair, a tired face, and severely bruised legs, next to an X-ray film. Netizens quickly identified her as Umi, a streamer who once had over 24,000 followers on Douyin and was known for her luxurious check-in photos.

Umi on a Cambodian street. *today.line.me*

Umi’s father, Mr. Wu, stated that his daughter told him she was working in Zhejiang after graduating from junior high school. Initially, she maintained contact and boasted about a comfortable life. However, Umi repeatedly asked her family for money, citing personal expenses. The total amount Mr. Wu sent his daughter reached 80,000 Chinese Yuan (CNY), approximately 280 million Vietnamese Dong (VND).

The situation escalated on 26/12, when Umi called home crying, saying her leg hurt and asking for an additional 2,200 CNY (8 million VND) for treatment, after which she completely lost contact. It was only when an acquaintance saw the video of her wandering online that her family reported the matter to the police. Exit data revealed Umi had traveled to Cambodia in 4/2025, not Zhejiang as she had claimed.

When questioned by authorities, Umi stated she was lured by her Chinese boyfriend, who was in Cambodia, with promises of an "easy job with high pay." However, upon arrival, she received no income, was abused, and was eventually cast out when she was no longer useful.

Umi’s case is not an isolated incident but part of a series of cross-border scams recently targeting youth and key opinion leaders (KOLs).

In 10/2025, South Korean media was shaken by the case of Kim Min Ha, 30 years old, who was lured to Sihanoukville with a promise of a high-paying Japanese translator job. In reality, she was confined, had her passport confiscated, and was forced to participate in pornographic livestreams, suffering brutal beatings if she failed to meet "sales targets."

Previously, in 8/2025, another South Korean student died from brutal torture after falling into a scam and being illegally detained at a complex in Cambodia. These consecutive incidents indicate that criminal organizations are becoming increasingly brazen, shifting their focus to young people with good looks, a desire for fame, or a wish for sudden high income.

Umi was popular on Chinese social media before being scammed into Cambodia. *Douyin*

The Chinese Embassy in Cambodia has issued a warning to its citizens to be cautious of unusual high-paying job offers abroad. The embassy emphasized that these are often traps set by online fraud and gambling criminal organizations. Victims not only lose assets but also face the risk of detention and abuse.

Nhat Minh (According to Jimu News, Todayline)