Cross-border Imported Health Supplement Livestreaming Scam: Forging International Certification Labels to Defraud the Elderly at High Prices

Who Gets Targeted

The primary victims are middle-aged and elderly consumers who lack professional knowledge in health supplements. They are generally drawn to labels like 'imported,' 'premium,' and 'safe,' making them susceptible to claims of 'genuine imported goods' or 'government certification.' Furthermore, they tend to have relatively stable incomes but conservative consumption habits; fearing they might miss out on health opportunities, they are psychologically vulnerable to the appeal of authoritative endorsements and a sense of security, leading to impulsive purchases during livestreams.

骗局怎么运作

• Step 1: The host prepares forged international certification documents and customs inspection reports in advance, uses professional design software to 'import-style' the product packaging, and displays these fake certificates during the livestream to claim approval from authorities like the EU or US FDA, thereby building trust.
• Step 2: The host uses exaggerated language to describe product benefits, such as 'lowering blood pressure,' 'anti-aging,' or 'boosting immunity,' while citing fake scientific data and celebrity endorsements to create a sense of urgency. They also offer limited-time flash sales and discounts to trigger impulsive buying.
• Step 3: Interactive sessions are set up where 'long-time fans' who have supposedly 'used the product with significant results' are invited to share their experiences. In reality, these are hired shills or fake users meant to create social proof and eliminate viewer skepticism.
• Step 4: Traffic is diverted to private social groups or WeChat mini-programs. Payments are collected upfront or before shipping, with claims of limited stock, pressuring viewers to transfer money to designated accounts before the livestream ends to rapidly aggregate funds.
• Step 5: After receiving payment, the scammers either fail to ship the product, send low-quality/low-cost items, or cut off all after-sales support. Once regulators intervene or consumers seek redress, they use the platform's anonymity or switch accounts to disappear, completing the scam.

红旗信号（看到这些快跑）

• 🚩 The livestream frequently displays forged foreign certification marks or customs inspection reports without providing links to official verification channels.
• 🚩 The host claims the product is 'exclusively imported' or 'only available via this livestream,' yet no information about the product can be found on other platforms.
• 🚩 The promotion uses absolute language, such as exaggerated efficacy claims or promises of a 'guaranteed cure.'
• 🚩 The offer includes extreme discounts or limited-time flash sales that require upfront transfers to private accounts.
• 🚩 User comments in the livestream are mostly uniform, highly emotional, and positive, with a complete lack of genuine negative reviews.

真实案例

• On 2026-03-14, a platform host sold health capsules claimed to be imported from Australia. The actual ingredients were domestic vitamins with a cost of about 7 yuan, sold for 320 yuan. The single-session sales reached approximately 500,000 yuan before the State Administration for Market Regulation investigated and removed all products.
• On 2026-04-03, the popular health supplement '澳洲优思益' was promoted in a livestream as having imported ingredients, using forged customs reports and foreign certification marks. It was actually produced domestically, with cumulative sales of about 800,000 yuan. The Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation summoned the platform and ordered rectification.
• On 2026-08-04, a host sold 'special supply miracle drugs' in a private livestream. The actual cost was only 7 yuan, and the packaging and certificates were fake. The scam defrauded consumers of about 1.2 million yuan, resulting in a 500,000 yuan fine and a permanent account ban.
• In July 2026, the Ningbo Public Security Bureau Yinzhou Branch reported breaking up a major cross-border health supplement fraud case involving over 4.35 million yuan. The gang repackaged domestic supplements through overseas shell companies to pose as Australian imports, using English-only packaging, overseas addresses, and fake customs/traceability documents. A single box was sold for up to 320 yuan, despite being supplied by a domestic contract manufacturer. (Source: https://www.jiemian.com/article/14863610.html)
• In April 2024, the Xichong County Public Security Bureau in Sichuan Province dismantled a network selling fake health supplements, involving over 1 million yuan. Two suspects, a married couple, used cornstarch and food coloring to produce capsules posing as blood pressure and lipid-lowering drugs. They forged over 30,000 labels, manuals, and anti-counterfeiting codes for imported drugs, selling them online to Beijing, Shanghai, Fujian, and other provinces. (Source: https://static.cdsb.com/micropub/Articles/202404/4b90f4bcf426aee22463bbbf3231eda8.html)

Official Stance

• 2026-02-01: The General Office of the State Administration for Market Regulation issued the 'Notice on Special Rectification Actions for False Advertising in Online Food Sales,' requiring platforms to strengthen supervision of health supplements sold via livestreaming.
• 2026-04-02: The Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation reported on violations in private livestreaming, warning consumers to be wary of fake import certificates and false efficacy claims.
• 2026-06-15: The National Medical Products Administration released the 'Administrative Measures for Online Livestreaming Marketing of Health Food (Draft for Comments),' explicitly prohibiting the forgery of foreign certifications and exaggerated advertising.

How to Protect Yourself

• ✅ Before purchasing, verify the product registration number and import inspection report on the official websites of the National Medical Products Administration or local market regulation bureaus to confirm authenticity.
• ✅ For products labeled as 'imported' or 'special supply,' demand that the host provide test reports from third-party testing agencies and verify the report numbers.
• ✅ When purchasing during a livestream, avoid transferring money directly to personal accounts. Use the platform's official payment channels and save chat logs for potential consumer rights protection.
• ✅ If you discover that the product's efficacy does not match the claims, report it immediately to the local market regulation department and preserve evidence such as packaging, certificates, and payment receipts.