A 19-year-old Chinese student trafficked into a scam syndicate in Myanmar was released after the gang boss reportedly decided he had too much potential to be wasted on crime.
Peng Yuxuan, from Hanzhong City in Shaanxi province, had just retaken China’s national college entrance exam—the gaokao—in June. His scores and intended university have not been disclosed.
Student Lured Through Fake Job Recruitment on App
Mr Peng travelled to Xi’an City with 800 yuan (~S$142) from his family, hoping to earn money during his summer holiday.
He encountered a woman on a job-hunting app who claimed to be recruiting live-stream hosts. She told Mr Peng his good looks could earn him substantial money and offered to cover his travel expenses.
The woman flew him to Yunnan province in southwestern China.
On 1 Jul, Mr Peng informed his friend Xiaojia that he had arrived in Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan, and that his recruiter had booked his hotel accommodation.
Over the following days, Mr Peng maintained contact with Xiaojia. He insisted he was “safe and free” and could “make big money” but avoided explaining the nature of his work. He specifically requested Xiaojia not to inform his parents about his whereabouts.
Mr Peng remained constantly mobile, sharing photographs of his meals and live location updates with his friend.
His final communication came on 4 Jul from Meng’a Port, a major border crossing in Pu’er city in southwestern Yunnan near the Myanmar border. After this update, all contact ceased.
Days later, Mr Peng’s mother attempted to call her son. A stranger claiming to be from Myanmar answered the phone instead.
Fearing her son had been trafficked, she immediately alerted police authorities.
Gang Boss Releases Student After Learning About His Gaokao Status
The case attracted national attention across China and sparked a joint police investigation coordinated with Myanmar authorities.
According to Hongxing News, Mr Peng was transferred more than 10 times after reaching Yunnan before ending up in a scam compound across the Myanmar border.
The compound forced him to memorise telecom fraud scripts for approximately four days after his arrival. His captors shaved his head during his detention, though he was not compelled to participate in actual fraudulent activities.
The syndicate’s ringleader eventually approached Mr Peng directly. The boss noted his young age and recent completion of the gaokao examination.
“He told me they make money with ‘conscience’, so they let me go. He also told me to study hard and be good to my parents,” Mr Peng recounted.
The gang boss stated that Mr Peng had a “bright future” and did not belong in their operation. How the criminal organisation discovered Mr Peng’s recent gaokao completion remains unclear.
Myanmar soldiers drove Mr Peng out of the compound and instructed him to seek assistance from the United Wa State Army (UWSA).
After exiting the vehicle, he met a man who provided him with food and medicine. This individual transported him to the UWSA Judicial Committee, where he contacted Chinese authorities.
“When I realised I was rescued, I was so happy. I was finally going home,” Mr Peng said.
On 20 Jul, the UWSA in Myanmar handed over 29 rescued individuals and 20 Chinese scam suspects to Chinese authorities at Meng’a Port. Mr Peng was among those rescued.
The story has generated more than 100 million views on social media platforms.
One online observer commented: “Peng was lucky in an unlucky situation. That fraud boss was not acting out of kindness. They were simply trying to make their crimes look less serious.”
Another social media user noted: “Young people need to stay alert, especially students with little social experience. There is no such thing as getting rich overnight.”
Northern Myanmar has developed into a hub for telecoms fraud operations. The United Nations estimated in 2023 that approximately 120,000 people were trafficked to work in scam call centres across the region.
Criminal rings target young people from China and neighbouring countries with fraudulent offers of well-paid employment, then trap victims using threats and violence.
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