Chinese influencer lured to Cambodia by ‘high-paying job’ promise found homeless on streets after rescue
A 20-year-old Chinese social media influencer was allegedly lured to Cambodia with promises of a high-paying job, only to be abandoned and left homeless before being found in poor health and rescued with the help of Chinese embassy officials.
- The influencer was allegedly lured to Cambodia by a high-paying job offer but later abandoned.
- She was found in poor physical condition and received medical treatment after embassy intervention.
- Authorities warned that overseas “high-paying” job offers are often linked to illegal industries.
CHINA: A Chinese social media influencer was allegedly lured to Cambodia by promises of a high-paying job but later ended up homeless and wandering the streets, according to local reporters.
Photos of the influencer, known online as Umi, were widely circulated on Chinese social media.
In the images, she appeared visibly haggard, was holding an X-ray film, and was reported to have suffered an injury to her leg.
Identity confirmed by family
A photo of her passport identified the woman as Wu Mouzhen, a native of China’s Fujian province.
Her parents later confirmed to local reporters that the woman in the viral images was their daughter.
Wu’s mother said her daughter, who is only 20 years old, dropped out of school after high school to begin working.
As Wu spent most of the year away from home, she mainly communicated with her family through messaging apps and rarely shared details about her job or whereabouts.
Family loses contact and seeks help
According to Wu’s father, the family lost contact with her on 26 December 2025, and subsequently filed a police report.
However, because the incident occurred overseas, local police advised the family to seek help from immigration authorities and the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia.
Relatives were the first to alert the family after spotting the circulating photos online, prompting them to take further action.
Found in poor health at Cambodian hospital
According to local reporters, Chinese embassy officials in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, located Wu at a local hospital on 3 January 2026, where she was found to be in poor physical condition.
She was later transferred to a better-equipped medical facility for treatment.
Wu reportedly told embassy officials that she had been lured to Cambodia with the promise of a high salary, but was later abandoned and forced to live on the streets.
Embassy intervention and warning issued
In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia said Wu was in extremely poor health when she was found and that immediate arrangements were made for her medical treatment.
Her condition has since reportedly improved, and the embassy has contacted her family to arrange her return to China.
The embassy also issued a renewed warning to Chinese nationals, cautioning that many so-called overseas “high-paying recruitment” offers are linked to black and grey industries, including online gambling, telecom scams, pornography, and drugs.
“Once trapped in such industries, individuals are highly vulnerable to illegal detention, violent abuse and even life-threatening dangers,” the statement said, urging citizens not to trust such offers or put their personal safety at risk.
Pattern of similar cross-border cases
Wu’s ordeal is not an isolated case.
In recent years, multiple Chinese nationals — including teenagers and young content creators — have been linked to similar incidents involving Cambodia, where victims were allegedly lured overseas by promises of high-paying jobs or travel opportunities.
Some were later found trapped in scam compounds, subjected to violence or ransom demands, while others were arrested for alleged involvement in online fraud and human trafficking syndicates.
These cases have heightened concerns over cross-border recruitment traps and the growing risks faced by young people seeking work or opportunities abroad.
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