Chinese men lose savings to fake bride scams

Imagine losing your savings to someone who promised to marry you — but was never real. This is happening to thousands of men in China right now.

China has a serious problem. There are many more men than women in the country. This happened because families preferred to have boys instead of girls for many years. Now, millions of men cannot find wives.

Scammers know about this problem. They use fake profiles on dating apps and websites. They tell lonely men sweet stories. They say "I love you" and "Let's get married." The men believe them because they want love so badly.

Then the scammers ask for money. They say they need help to travel, or pay for the wedding, or fix a family problem. The men send money — sometimes all their savings. After that, the scammer disappears. The man realizes it was all a lie.

This kind of scam is called a "flash marriage" con. It is extreme, but it shows a bigger truth: China's population imbalance is creating real suffering. Lonely men are targets. Scammers see their sadness and use it.

The good news is that people are starting to talk about this. Police are catching more scammers. Families and friends are helping men stay safe online. But the real fix takes time — because the population problem is deep and old.

Have you ever heard a story like this? What would you do if a friend told you they met someone online who asked for money?

Inspired by reporting from BBC News.