Recently, a gray industry chain in Beijing targeting fraudulent minimum wages has been exposed. In December, a small business owner in Fengtai District of Beijing recruited 25 people to fill job vacancies, only to discover that 24 of them were actually scammers specializing in deceiving for minimum wages.
According to reports from major technology news outlets and Dahe Daily, these scammers often target start-up companies or small and micro-enterprises, focusing on positions such as sales which do not require them to be physically present in the office, enabling them to simultaneously work for 2-3 companies.
It is reported that these scammers have a term among themselves called “hanging positions,” which they use as a code to identify each other’s identity. They even proactively propose “no need to pay social security contributions” to lower the company’s alertness, while also avoiding exposure of multiple job records in social security.
After joining a company, these individuals clock in on time, submit formal work logs, but claim ignorance about their job responsibilities. Some even sleep or play on their phones during working hours, showing no dedication to actual work. When the probation period ends, instead of waiting for the company’s formal assessment, they collectively resign.
The business owner revealed to Dahe Daily that these scammers also recommend a list of “easy-to-scam companies” among themselves, such as companies with lenient interview processes, lax attendance management, or timely payment of minimum wages.
What is even more shocking is that this is not an isolated incident. According to reports, the Beijing police had previously arrested nearly 40 suspects involved in the crime of “professional wage fraud.”
The news has sparked heated discussions online. Many netizens expressed their concerns, saying, “Scammers can easily find jobs, while legitimate job seekers struggle to secure employment.” “Only scammers can meet the boss’s requirements.” “There are many companies that lay you off after the probation period ends.” “This case may seem absurd, but it reflects a grim reality: recruitment fraud is no longer sporadic but a systematic and technological black industry chain!” “Why are there so many scammers?” “What kind of society are we living in now?”