A 58-year-old woman in Guangzhou, Guangdong, was induced to spend over 170,000 yuan on wellness treatments after accepting a complimentary foot wash, with more than 100,000 yuan of that amount charged to a credit service.
After her retirement savings were depleted, staff at the establishment guided her to use the credit service and take out online loans, instructing her to keep it a secret from her children.
According to the woman, identified as Aunt Guo, employees from the wellness center repeatedly took her to other locations for free "check-ups."
After pressing on a few areas, they claimed she showed signs of a potential stroke and warned she would become paralyzed if she did not undergo their调理 (conditioning/treatment) immediately.
To repay the debts as quickly as possible, Aunt Guo took on a job as a cleaner, with monthly repayments amounting to 4,000 yuan.
Her family has filed complaints with the relevant authorities. The involved wellness center reportedly remains in normal operation.