Chinese woman lured to Cambodia by lucrative job offer, found homeless

By Phan Anh January 9, 2026 | 12:33 am PT

A Chinese online influencer was found homeless and badly injured in Cambodia after allegedly being lured there by promises of a high-paying job, according to a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh.

The woman, known online as Umi and believed to be in her 20s, had around 58,000 followers and was previously known for sharing images of a glamorous lifestyle. Her disappearance quickly became a major topic on Chinese social media.

Chinese influencer Umi. Photo courtesy of Douyin

Umi had told her family she was traveling to Cambodia at the invitation of her Chinese boyfriend, who lived there and promised her a lucrative job and a future together. Despite warnings from friends and fans, she went ahead with the trip.

After losing contact with her family for 26 days, she was found on a roadside in Cambodia in an apparent state of homelessness, The Straits Times reported. She was holding X-ray films that appeared to show leg injuries, showed visible signs of assault and was described as disoriented and incoherent. A Chinese national in the area reportedly stepped in to help her.

Following requests from her family, the embassy contacted Cambodian police and local partners to trace her whereabouts. Consular officials later located her on Jan. 3 at a hospital in Sihanoukville, where doctors said she was in very poor physical condition. She was transferred to another hospital for urgent treatment and will be repatriated once her health stabilizes, The Nation reported.

At an online fraud site discovered by Cambodian authorities. Photo courtesy of Cambodian General Department of Immigration

Before the incident, the woman, identified only by the surname Wu, was said to have worked at an upscale club in China's Fujian Province and frequently posted about luxury, travel and relationships online. In early December 2025, she livestreamed about moving to Cambodia to live with her boyfriend, whom she claimed ran a large business there.

Chinese social media users reacted with shock after photos of her condition surfaced, with many expressing heartbreak for her family and warning others about the dangers of overseas job offers that appear too good to be true.