LONGGANG police recently arrested a suspect in Yulin, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, who was suspected of cheating 90,000 yuan (US$13,235) out of victims, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported yesterday.

Police in Longgang received a report from a college student, surnamed Wei, in February, saying that he was cheated out of 1,000 yuan when he applied for online loans through WeChat.

An investigation showed that the suspect, surnamed Liang, who was unemployed, cheated people by posting advertisements on several online platforms, including Internet forums and chat rooms, claiming that he could offer loans.

To appear more trustworthy, Liang claimed he could get loans through his connections at a bank. He even posted some loan approval documents online to win the trust of his victims.

After he paid a 1,000-yuan deposit, Wei found that he was blocked by Liang on WeChat and realized he had been cheated. Liang allegedly cheated around 100 victims using this tactic.

The case is under investigation. (Lei Kaibin, Han Ximin)