Cross-border E-commerce Agency 'Explosive Sales' Scam: Using Forged Transaction Data to Induce Deposits and Defraud

Who Gets Targeted

The primary victims are individual entrepreneurs without cross-border e-commerce experience, small business owners, office workers seeking side hustles, and retirees. They generally lack knowledge of cross-border platform rules, desire high returns with low barriers to entry, and easily fall for claims of 'zero-experience store setup and passive income.' Driven by herd mentality, they lower their guard after seeing fake 'peer success stories' and 'profit screenshots,' often resorting to mortgaging homes or taking out loans, ultimately losing everything.

骗局怎么运作

• Traffic Acquisition: Gangs use short-video platforms like Douyin, Kuaishou, and WeChat Channels to post sensational content such as 'Zero-experience cross-border sales, earn 100k a month' and 'Guaranteed explosive sales with agency services.' They use forged student profit screenshots and shipping videos to lure users into clicking links and adding a dedicated customer service WeChat account. The typical pitch is: 'The cross-border boom is here; we handle everything—no need to manage inventory or operations, just sit back and collect money.'
• Setting Up Fake Stores: After users pay 'service fees' ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of yuan, the gang provides access to a fake cross-border store backend. This is actually a simulation system developed by the gang, allowing them to manually input fake orders, sales figures, and visitor data, and even forge platform notifications regarding traffic support or store rating upgrades, making users believe their store is performing well.
• Inducing Advance Payments: Once the fake backend shows order volume exceeding a certain threshold, the gang claims that 'orders have exploded and require advance payment for inventory' or 'the platform requires a security deposit before withdrawals.' They demand advance payments ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of yuan, showing users forged order details and payment screenshots, claiming: 'Look, you have hundreds of orders a day; pay a few tens of thousands for stock, and you'll earn it back and more in a week.'
• Restricting Withdrawals: After users pay significant sums, the gang sets withdrawal barriers in the fake backend, requiring additional 'tax deposits,' 'customs clearance fees,' or 'platform penalty fines.' They may even freeze the account, claiming: 'The system detected abnormal transactions; you must pay a fine to unfreeze it, otherwise you lose your previous investment.' Some users continue to pay in hopes of recovering their initial funds.
• Running Away: When users refuse to pay more or the gang reaches its target, they shut down the fake backend, block communication, and delete their short-video accounts. The service fees and advance payments are unrecoverable. Some gangs even forge 'platform regulatory seizure' notices to blame the platform, encouraging users to protest and thereby reducing the gang's own risk.

红旗信号（看到这些快跑）

• 🚩 The agency promises 'guaranteed returns' or 'zero-risk explosive sales,' which contradicts basic business logic; legitimate agencies never guarantee sales figures.
• 🚩 They require an initial service fee, followed by demands for advance inventory payments, security deposits, or taxes, with financial requirements escalating over time.
• 🚩 There is no link to a real cross-border store backend; you can only view data in a proprietary app or mini-program provided by them, and your store cannot be found on legitimate platforms like Amazon or Shopee.
• 🚩 Profit screenshots, shipping videos, and payment records are all forged; they cannot provide verifiable store backend screenshots or official platform notifications.
• 🚩 Communication is restricted to private channels like WeChat or QQ; they refuse to provide a valid business license, office address, or sign a formal contract stamped with an official company seal.
• 🚩 They use high-pressure tactics like 'limited-time offers' or 'limited spots' to force you to pay immediately without giving you time to consider.

真实案例

• In February 2026, Hangzhou police in Zhejiang reported a cross-border agency scam. A gang operating under the name 'KD Cross-border E-commerce' attracted over 1,200 users via short videos, forged Shopee and Mercado Libre backend data, and induced users to pay for inventory. The case involved 120 million yuan. 12 suspects, including the ringleader Liu, were arrested, and the case is currently under investigation.
• In November 2025, Shenzhen market regulators in Guangdong received multiple complaints about an agency called 'Taji Cross-border,' which claimed to 'guarantee 100k monthly sales for Mercado Libre stores.' After charging a 19,999 yuan service fee, they induced users to transfer more money for 'inventory' and 'deposits.' The scam affected over 200 users nationwide with losses exceeding 38 million yuan. The company has been listed as an abnormal business entity, and those responsible are under investigation.
• In March 2026, CCTV Finance's 'First Time' program exposed a cross-border agency scam. A gang named 'Hede Lai Cross-border' claimed to manage Amazon and TikTok Shop stores with 'no inventory needed.' They forged order data and defrauded over 12,000 users nationwide of more than 1 billion yuan. Police in multiple regions have established special task forces to investigate.
• In March 2025, Beijing Youth Daily's 'Deep Focus' investigated 'zero-cost store setup' scams. Mentors claimed no license or inventory was needed. Victims paid for inventory on third-party software but could not withdraw funds. One company, 'KD Cross-border E-commerce,' signed up over 1,200 users and forged backend data to induce payments, totaling 120 million yuan. (Source: https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20250315A02QKW00)

Official Stance

• In March 2026, the National Anti-Fraud Center issued a 'Warning on Cross-border Agency Scams,' stating clearly that any agency promising 'guaranteed returns or zero-risk explosive sales' is a scam, and warning users not to trust 'passive income' claims on short-video platforms.
• In April 2026, the Ministry of Public Security's Economic Crime Investigation Bureau reported that, in response to the high frequency of cross-border agency scams, they have launched a nationwide crackdown. In the first quarter of 2026, over 120 cases were solved, 800 suspects were arrested, and 230 million yuan in assets were recovered.
• In December 2025, the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department issued a 'Risk Warning on Cross-border E-commerce Scams,' advising individual entrepreneurs and small merchants not to trust claims of 'zero-experience cross-border sales' or 'guaranteed profits.' Agency services should be chosen from legitimate, qualified institutions with formal contracts, and transfers to personal accounts should be avoided.

How to Protect Yourself

• ✅ When choosing an agency, demand their business license and office address. Verify their qualifications using tools like Tianyancha or Qichacha. Avoid entities with no physical presence that only communicate through private channels.
• ✅ Refuse any request for advance inventory payments, security deposits, or taxes after the initial service fee. Legitimate agencies do not require users to pay for inventory.
• ✅ Demand a real store backend link and verify the store's existence on legitimate platforms like Amazon, Shopee, or Mercado Libre. Do not trust data provided in proprietary apps or mini-programs.
• ✅ When signing a contract, clearly define service content, fee structures, performance commitments, and refund terms. Refuse verbal agreements or contracts without clear refund clauses.
• ✅ If you realize you have been scammed, immediately preserve evidence such as chat logs, transfer records, and contracts. Call 110 or the anti-fraud hotline 96110. Do not continue to pay in hopes of recovering losses, as this only increases your financial damage.