A surveillance video from the Lijia Yang residential area in Wenzhou city, Zhejiang province, leaked in late november, sparking widespread debate on social media. The footage showed several individuals holding stacks of paper with printed faces, taking turns presenting them to a time clock scanner. The device then announced successful recognition for each "employee".

The whistleblower revealed that a committee secretary surnamed Li led this group, orchestrating the scheme to conceal their absenteeism from the office. They printed colleagues' portraits on paper, cutting them into masks to deceive the timekeeping machine. Ironically, the fraudulent actions were fully recorded by the security camera installed directly above the very time clock they sought to trick.

The Longgang City Party Committee Social Work Department, the direct managing authority, confirmed it has received the complaint and committed to providing a resolution by 31/12.

A group of committee employees in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, used masks printed with colleagues' photos to clock in for them, recorded by camera in late november 2025. Photo: Sina.

The incident ignited a debate about workplace culture and technological vulnerabilities. Many expressed outrage, labeling it "petty corruption" and unfair to those working under the demanding "996" culture (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week). Conversely, some argued that office timekeeping regulations are too rigid for community work, which frequently requires extensive fieldwork.

From a technical perspective, cybersecurity experts noted that the timekeeping system uses outdated technology with a low-resolution camera. This device relies on simple algorithms, such as measuring eye and nose distances, making it easily fooled by 2D images. It lacks the ability to detect depth or body temperature, unlike modern face id systems.

However, even advanced facial recognition systems can be deceived. In 2019, researchers from US-based Kneron caused a stir by using high-quality 3D masks to trick AliPay and WeChat Pay payment systems in China, and even bypass access gates at Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands.

An old time clock with a low-resolution camera allowed some employees in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, to easily clock in for others. Illustration: Shutterstock.

In China, tools for timekeeping fraud are common. On e-commerce platforms, "time clock masks" printing services are openly advertised for 10-40 yuan (35,000-140,000 dong) and are rated by many buyers as "cheap and effective" for bypassing older time clocks.

Minh Phuong (According to KH01, Sina)