The surge in outbound travel and business exchanges has fueled a booming visa service market, but this growth has also attracted scammers laying clever traps. In a recent case, a defendant surnamed Shi was sentenced to ten years and two months in prison and fined 100,000 yuan by the court for fraud, following a prosecution by the Huangpu District People's Procuratorate. This case serves as a stark warning for all travelers in a hurry.
The story began with a chance encounter on a social media platform in July 2023. A victim, Ms. Y, met Shi, who ran an account named "XX Visa Consulting," on her phone. Initially, Shi appeared reliable, successfully helping Ms. Y obtain a Schengen visa and a UK visa. This efficiency and apparent expertise earned him Ms. Y's complete trust. However, this trust quickly became a tool for his scheme.
In August of the same year, when Ms. Y expressed interest in applying for a US visa, Shi, knowing he lacked the capability, saw an opportunity. Exploiting her eagerness for a speedy approval, he falsely claimed to have connections "high up" and know visa officers, offering a "guaranteed US visa." Over the following months, he concocted various fees, including high agency charges and deposits, prompting Ms. Y to make multiple transfers. The scam only began to unravel on the day of her interview, when she was immediately rejected.
When Ms. Y demanded a refund, Shi stalled and even staged a trick. He introduced her to his friend Zheng, a delivery driver, via a WeChat account, pretending he was another "agent." Under the guise of applying for a new Schengen visa, he swindled another 14,000 yuan for himself. To appease Ms. Y, he also sent a forged electronic "business entry permit for Taiwan." This elaborate scheme ultimately caused Ms. Y a net loss of 244,000 yuan.
Even more shocking, Ms. Y's friend, Ms. Z, fell into the same trap on her recommendation. In September 2023, Ms. Z also commissioned Shi for visa services and was defrauded of 308,400 yuan using the same methods. As the truth emerged, both friends, unable to get their money back, finally reported the case to the police.
An investigation revealed the full extent of Shi's fraud. From 2023 to 2025, he used online posts and personal referrals to swindle five victims out of a total of over 600,000 yuan. The so-called "guaranteed visa services" and "internal deposits" were entirely fabricated. His claims of knowing visa officers were pure fiction, and the "business entry permit" he sent was a forgery.
The prosecuting authority stated that Shi, with the intent of illegal possession and lacking the qualifications or internal channels for special visa processing, fabricated his capabilities to repeatedly defraud multiple people of a huge sum. His actions constituted the crime of fraud and warranted severe punishment. Prosecutors remind the public to always use official channels or certified agencies for visa applications and to never trust online claims of "internal channels" or "knowing a visa officer." It is crucial to keep all transfer records and service agreements. If an agent is evasive or fails to deliver, victims should immediately stop payments and contact the police to protect their finances.