AUTHORITIES in Guiyang, China, are cracking down on matchmaking agencies accused of defrauding single men out of large sums through orchestrated “flash marriages.”
These scams involve quick marriages followed by swift divorces, with some women posing as brides and pocketing up to 300,000 yuan (approx. RM183,917) in just a few months, leaving victims financially devastated.
According to South China Morning Post, a court in Guizhou province revealed that the Huaguoyuan police station has recorded 180 matchmaking fraud cases since March 2023.
As many as 50 disputes involving substantial fees have been resolved in court, highlighting the widespread nature of the scheme.
These matchmaking agencies operated from upscale office spaces to appear credible, targeting single men from smaller cities.
They also recruited divorced, indebted women to pose as brides. In many cases, these women vanished or pushed for divorce shortly after marriage, taking significant sums of money with them.
One woman reportedly earned 300,000 yuan in just three months through multiple flash marriages.
In one instance, she married a man in December but filed for divorce soon after, alleging domestic violence.
She kept the 170,000 yuan (approx. RM104,224) bride price and seized shared assets, including a car.
After the divorce, the woman continued going on blind dates while the agency hid her divorce history.
One victim called Liao from Hubei province shared that he met his bride in May through a Guiyang-based agency.
He married her within two days and paid 118,000 yuan (approx. RM72,345) bride price.
Soon after, his wife began demanding a home and car, while concealing her past, including having five children.
When Liao sought a refund, he discovered the agency had shut down amidst police investigations.
A former employee revealed that male clients were plentiful.
“We do not worry about the source of male customers at all. There are many across the country. We can select a male customer for blind dates from 40 to 50 candidates every day,” they said.
Some agencies have since relocated their operations to Yunnan province to escape scrutiny.
