In this era of information explosion, can we really distinguish the truth from the fake in the online world?
In the summer of 2021, Mr. Chen, a citizen of Shanghai, swiped Douyin as usual.
Suddenly, a live broadcast room about human history caught his attention.
The anchor is a middle-aged man who looks elegant and gentle, who calls himself Liu.
"Hello everyone, today we are going to talk about the prosperity and decline of the Tang Dynasty." Liu's voice was gentle and charming.
Mr. Chen was so attracted to this erudite streamer that he immediately joined his fan base.
In the group, Liu will show some fragments of the life of "wealthy families" from time to time.
"Just got back from a holiday in Dubai, everyone take a look at the gifts I brought." Liu posted a photo of a luxury product.
The group members were envious, and Mr. Chen was no exception.
"Teacher Liu is really amazing, not only is he knowledgeable, but he is also so rich." Mr. Chen secretly admired in his heart.
However, this seemingly perfect anchor revealed his flaws soon after.
"Mr. Chen, I have a reluctant request." One day, Liu had a private chat with Mr. Chen.
It turned out that Liu said that he needed to buy imported drugs due to heart disease, and he couldn't turn around for the time being.
Mr. Chen hesitated, after all, Liu has always been very wealthy.
But Liu explained that the bank card was frozen, and it would soon be unfrozen and repaid.
So, Mr. Chen lent Liu one million yuan.
This borrowing started a two-year scam.
Mr. Liu continued to borrow money from Mr. Chen for various reasons: repaying credit cards, paying employees' salaries, and needing cemetery expenses for his mother's death......
Each time, Liu would behave anxiously and sincerely, which made it difficult for Mr. Chen to refuse.
In this era of intertwining the virtual and the real, a well-crafted "persona" can so easily gain the trust of others, which can't help but make people think deeply.
Until one day, Mr. Chen discovered a fatal flaw.
"My mother is funeral today, and I am very sad." Liu said in the group.
However, on the same day, Liu was on a live broadcast at home, telling historical stories with vigour.
At this moment, Mr. Chen woke up like a dream.
He began to contact other people in the group and found that many people had been deceived by Liu for the same reason.
In January 2023, Mr. Chen plucked up the courage to call the police.
The police soon arrested Liu, and the truth surfaced.
It turned out that Liu was just an ordinary history lover and had no wealthy background at all.
He used his eloquence and historical knowledge to concoct one lie after another.
The mansions, the yachts, the checks, all of them were carefully forged props.
In just two years, Liu defrauded more than 3 million yuan in this way.
In June 2024, Liu was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 250,000 yuan for fraud.
After the case was over, Mr. Chen sent a pennant to the prosecutor in charge, which read "Impartially enforce the law against fraud, and warm people's hearts for the people".
This case is a wake-up call for us.
In the age of the Internet, how can we protect ourselves from being scammed?
First of all, we must keep thinking rationally and not easily believe in the "human design" on the Internet.
Second, be cautious when borrowing money, especially large amounts of money.
In addition, if you find something suspicious, you should report it to the police in time, and do not hide it out of fear or shame.
Finally, each of us should improve our legal awareness and anti-scam ability.
This case has also given rise to some deep reflections.
Why do so many people easily trust an online anchor?
Is it because of the loneliness in real life that makes it easier to believe in the "perfect image" in the virtual world?
Or is it our excessive worship of wealth and success that makes us lose our judgment?
Liu's actions are certainly reprehensible, but should we also reflect on our own values?
In this era of information explosion, do we really have the ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood?
Or, in the world of get-rich-quick society, do we ignore the importance of integrity and morality?
These questions may require each of us to ponder.
Finally, we can't help but ask: in this era where it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between the virtual and the real, how can we maintain the ability to be sober and think independently?
In other words, should we re-examine our attitudes towards the online world and build a more authentic and honest online environment?