A young man seeking employment online fell for a seemingly attractive job posting that promised a guaranteed monthly salary of 5,000 to 6,000 yuan for easy, low-effort work involving simple errands and pickup deliveries. However, the 20-something candidate, identified as Yang, soon discovered that the "quality job" had turned him into an unwitting tool for illegal activities, ultimately leading to his arrest and detention by Hangzhou police.
Yang, who had been browsing job listings online, was drawn to the high-paying position that appeared to offer substantial income with minimal work. The job description mentioned that he would only need to handle delivery and pickup tasks, with a guaranteed base salary of 5,000 to 6,000 yuan per month and no upper limit on potential earnings. Eager to secure the opportunity, Yang promptly contacted the employer to arrange an interview.
Rather than scheduling a traditional interview, the employer sent Yang two unfamiliar software download links, claiming that all company communications would be conducted through these applications. What followed was a series of unusual demands. Before starting, Yang was instructed to purchase a suit and a set of weighing equipment. Additionally, he was directed to travel to multiple locations before finally reaching a designated spot to retrieve a hidden camera that had been pre-arranged for him.
Despite his limited life experience, Yang sensed that something was deeply wrong with these strange requests. Nevertheless, tempted by the prospect of earning significant money through simple errands, he chose to overlook his concerns and continue with the process. Soon after, the employer assigned him a task: to proceed to the entrance of a residential complex and conduct a gold exchange transaction under the guise of a legitimate exchange deal. The employer repeatedly reminded Yang to identify himself as a "staff member" during the interaction.
Feeling anxious but determined, Yang followed the instructions, traveling by high-speed rail from Shandong to Shanghai, then continuing to Qiantang District in Hangzhou, where he completed the exchange and collected 150 grams of gold bars. The assignment, however, was not yet complete. The employer sent another directive requiring Yang to travel to another city and pick up an additional piece of gold from a contact. Yang complied, but upon arriving at the new location, he was immediately apprehended by local police.
Unknown to Yang, the entire operation had already been under surveillance by Hangzhou's Qiantang police. Officers from the Wenchao Police Station, with assistance from local authorities in the other city, successfully arrested Yang at the handover site and seized the 150 grams of gold involved in the transaction. Yang has since been placed in administrative detention by Qiantang public security authorities.
Police have issued a warning to the public, emphasizing that there is no such thing as easily earned high salaries. Job offers featuring low entry barriers and high returns are often traps. Any work requiring the download of private communication apps, secret cross-region meetings, or disguised handovers of valuable items is invariably linked to criminal underground industries. Citizens are urged not to be swayed by petty gains and become pawns in illegal operations, as breaking the law will ultimately come with consequences.