In Zhejiang province, China, a novel scam came to light, where a man made substantial profits by inflating viewer counts using thousands of smartphones.
According to a report by Interesting Engineering, the man managed to earn 3 million yuan ($415,000) in just a few months through this fraudulent scheme.
His services were marketed online, promising streamers maximum online engagement.
Authorities acted upon reports of the scam and apprehended the perpetrator, sentencing him to 15 months in prison and imposing a fine of 50,000 yuan (US$7,000).
The individual, identified as Wang, initiated the scheme in 2022 after practicing the technique known as “brushing.”
Brushing involves falsifying real activities on the internet to boost online engagement, commonly used in e-commerce to inflate user ratings and fake orders.
Wang purchased 4,600 smartphones and installed specific software, enabling him to control all the phones remotely from his computer with just a few clicks.
According to reports, it cost him a mere 6.65 yuan per day to operate each phone.
Chinese authorities, as quoted by South China Morning Post, disclosed that besides Wang, 17 others are under investigation for various offenses including “breaking national regulations, knowingly spreading fake information online through publishing services for profit, and disrupting the market order.”
