A Chinese influencer with over 400,000 followers was arrested after fabricating a story about being a single father and delivering food with his toddler daughter to gain sympathy and profit from his online presence.
The man, who went by the handle @qianyibaobei on Douyin, claimed to be a single father raising a young daughter, Qianyi, after the child’s mother had abandoned them. In his videos, he often displayed the phrase “She does not have a mother” in large font.
In one video, dressed in the yellow uniform of the food delivery platform Meituan, the man claimed that he delivered 43 orders in a single day with Qianyi in tow, earning 300 yuan (about $40) to buy her food. He also shared a story about accidentally injuring his daughter’s face during the workday, asking his followers to like his videos.
Yu, the man behind the account, gained a substantial following across Douyin and Kuaishou, with over 100 videos where he continued to portray the life of a struggling single father. He also profited through live-streaming sales, all while using the story of supporting his daughter.
However, on December 3, local police revealed that Yu’s story was a fabrication. He is not a delivery worker nor a single father, and Qianyi’s mother still lives with them. The uniform he wore in the videos was purchased online.
Yu, whose full name was not disclosed, was penalized by the police for disturbing public order. While the exact details of the punishment were not revealed, he faces consequences under China’s Public Security Administration Punishment Law, which can impose up to 10 days of detention and a fine of 500 yuan (about $70) for spreading false information.
This case follows similar incidents of “sadfishing” in China, where influencers fabricate heartbreaking stories to gain followers and generate income. Earlier this year, another influencer, @Liangshanmengyang, was sentenced to 11 months in jail and fined 80,000 yuan (about $11,000) after lying about living in poverty and caring for her siblings. It was later discovered that her claims about a dilapidated home were false, and she was found wearing luxury items outside her streams.
In both cases, the influencers exploited people’s sympathy for personal gain. The owner of the network promoting such “sadfishing” accounts was also arrested, sentenced to 14 months in prison, and fined 100,000 yuan (about $14,000).
As these cases highlight, viewers are growing skeptical. One commented, “People who are truly struggling don’t have time to be influencers.” Another stated, “Liars like this take away attention and resources from those who genuinely need help.”
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