Student's 10-month hotel fraud exposed: How a 21-year-old scammed 63 hotels with this trick?
The Scheme
Jiang carried out his fraudulent activities between September 2023 and August 2024. He meticulously prepared props such as dead cockroaches, strands of hair, and used condoms to create the illusion of poor hygiene. After planting these items in hotel rooms, he would threaten management with online defamation unless compensated with free stays or monetary settlements. “Jiang exploited minor flaws or planted evidence like bugs and hair to threaten hotels with complaints or exposure online, demanding free accommodations or financial compensation,” said an unnamed police officer from Linhai in Zhejiang, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
A Calculated Fraud
Jiang's tactics were highly organized. He sometimes checked into three or four hotels in a single day, carefully orchestrating his actions. Over this period, Jiang extorted approximately 38,000 yuan (around Rs 4.5 lakh) in refunds and free stays. Despite his criminal actions, he managed to exploit hotel policies designed to prioritize customer satisfaction.
The scheme began to unravel when a hotel manager in Linhai grew suspicious of Jiang's repeated complaints. Upon reporting him to the police, investigators discovered damning evidence in Jiang's belongings, including 23 packets containing dead cockroaches and used condoms. Further investigation revealed he had stayed in a staggering 380 hotels since November 2023, many of which processed refunds or compensation payments.
One hotel employee remarked, “His complaints about supposed bugs and
