A woman in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, was nearly scammed out of over 800 grams of gold she purchased with nearly 1 million yuan borrowed from her brother, intending to send it to a man she believed was a military officer for a fake investment scheme. Police intervened just in time, spending four hours to convince her it was a "pig-butchering" romance scam.

The scam, known as "pig butchering," involves fraudsters building a relationship with the victim over weeks or months before eventually swindling them out of money. The victim, identified as Ms. Li, was about to meet her online "officer boyfriend" and embark on what she thought was a lucrative investment journey when police from the Fuyong Police Station of the Bao'an Public Security Bureau arrived at her home on April 8.

Authorities had received an urgent warning to intercept the transaction. Officer Wu Hanbo immediately contacted Ms. Li and rushed to her residence. Despite the officers' presence, Ms. Li, still deeply enamored and convinced of the high returns, was initially dismissive of their concerns.

When questioned about whether she was induced to send gold for investment, Ms. Li gave evasive answers, alternately claiming the gold was at her brother's house or her workplace, refusing to acknowledge the scam. She continued messaging the fraudster throughout the encounter, making the intervention challenging.

Officers Nan Shuwen and Wu Hanbo remained patient, explaining the mechanics of such scams using real-life cases. After four hours of persuasion, Ms. Li agreed to request a video call to verify the man's identity. When he failed to respond, she finally realized the truth and cooperated fully with the police.

Based on the information she provided, police quickly identified and arrested a suspect. A grateful Ms. Li later recounted that she met the man on a social platform in late March. He persuaded her to download an app via a suspicious link, and they soon began an online relationship. He later claimed his former superior, now a general manager at a company, had access to an internal, high-yield investment channel.

Believing it was a confidential opportunity, Ms. Li borrowed the money and bought the gold on April 7, planning to mail it the next day. The timely police intervention saved her from significant financial loss.

Police remind the public to be highly cautious with online relationships. Any request for money transfers for "internal investments," high returns, or fund周转 from an online romantic partner should be treated with extreme suspicion to avoid falling victim to fraud. If scammed, individuals should call 110 immediately.