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Monday, Sep 01, 2025
Outside the box.
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
An eight-year-old in Xinjiang used her parents' phone to purchase gifts for online streamers, leading to the swift intervention of local authorities to secure a full refund.
Authorities in Xinjiang, China, have successfully intervened to recover a family’s life savings after an eight-year-old girl used her parents’ mobile phone to purchase a significant amount of virtual gifts for online streamers.
The incident highlights the growing importance of digital security for families navigating the complexities of modern financial and social platforms.
According to local reports, the young girl had memorized her parents' payment password after frequently observing them use it.
Over a period of two months, she became a frequent participant in livestreams on a social media platform.
Noticing other viewers sending virtual gifts to hosts, she began to do the same, with her spending escalating to the point where she became a top supporter in several livestream rooms.
Her parents discovered the extensive spending when they attempted to transfer wages to their employees, only to find their bank account balance had been reduced to a mere 25 yuan.
Their savings, totaling more than 70,000 yuan, had been entirely spent on the virtual gifts.
Upon this alarming discovery, the family immediately reported the matter to local police.
Demonstrating a proactive and professional approach, the officers contacted the livestream platform’s customer service team, explaining that the transactions were made by a minor without parental consent.
They also provided critical assistance to the family in gathering official transaction records from the bank, which served as essential supporting evidence.
Following a thorough investigation, the platform confirmed that the payments were indeed unauthorized.
In a display of cooperation and commitment to consumer protection, the platform's response was decisive and efficient, agreeing to issue a full refund to the family.
On August 10, a total of 71,803 yuan was successfully returned to the parents' account, providing a welcome resolution to the distressing ordeal.
The grateful parents expressed profound relief, stating that the loss of their savings felt as though their world had collapsed.
They offered heartfelt thanks to the police, praising their professionalism and persistence in recovering the funds.
This positive outcome underscores the crucial role of dedicated law enforcement and responsive corporate platforms in protecting families from digital financial risks.
The incident highlights the growing importance of digital security for families navigating the complexities of modern financial and social platforms.
According to local reports, the young girl had memorized her parents' payment password after frequently observing them use it.
Over a period of two months, she became a frequent participant in livestreams on a social media platform.
Noticing other viewers sending virtual gifts to hosts, she began to do the same, with her spending escalating to the point where she became a top supporter in several livestream rooms.
Her parents discovered the extensive spending when they attempted to transfer wages to their employees, only to find their bank account balance had been reduced to a mere 25 yuan.
Their savings, totaling more than 70,000 yuan, had been entirely spent on the virtual gifts.
Upon this alarming discovery, the family immediately reported the matter to local police.
Demonstrating a proactive and professional approach, the officers contacted the livestream platform’s customer service team, explaining that the transactions were made by a minor without parental consent.
They also provided critical assistance to the family in gathering official transaction records from the bank, which served as essential supporting evidence.
Following a thorough investigation, the platform confirmed that the payments were indeed unauthorized.
In a display of cooperation and commitment to consumer protection, the platform's response was decisive and efficient, agreeing to issue a full refund to the family.
On August 10, a total of 71,803 yuan was successfully returned to the parents' account, providing a welcome resolution to the distressing ordeal.
The grateful parents expressed profound relief, stating that the loss of their savings felt as though their world had collapsed.
They offered heartfelt thanks to the police, praising their professionalism and persistence in recovering the funds.
This positive outcome underscores the crucial role of dedicated law enforcement and responsive corporate platforms in protecting families from digital financial risks.
