The lonely Chinese men being conned by fake brides

At 37, Wang Zhuang felt as though his hope of finding a wife was dwindling until he came across glossy matchmaking advertisements. These ads claimed he wouldn't need to waste years building a relationship doomed to fail, offering to introduce him to a demure, devoted woman. The matchmakers assured him that Guizhou girls were frugal, good housekeepers, and their families were poor, meaning they would settle down and live with their new husbands.

So, Wang journeyed to Guiyang, a city in Guizhou province, seeking his soulmate. He believed he had found one when they married, despite only having met a few times beforehand.

However, his new life quickly unraveled. His family was thrown into chaos, and he discovered that his wife was a former karaoke hostess with three children, a sexually transmitted disease, and was deeply in debt. She even lied about her age. He now fights for a divorce and cannot return home until he recoups some of his life savings, which he claims he paid to the agency within hours of being introduced to potential matches.

Wang's situation is representative of a larger demographic crisis in China. Decades of the one-child policy and a preference for boys have resulted in a shrinking pool of women and a stark gender imbalance, leaving men like Wang in their late 30s with limited options in smaller cities and rural areas.

Women in these regions can afford to be more selective, as they know they are in demand. Men face high demands, such as owning a car, a house, and having a family business. The bride price, a longstanding Chinese custom, is also a financial burden. Consequently, matchmaking agencies like those in Guizhou have become attractive, offering a quick, all-in-one solution.

These agencies have seen rapid growth and have been associated with illegal practices and chaos, leading to increased attention from Chinese officials. In 2024-2025, prosecutors dealt with 1,546 cases related to crimes in the matchmaking industry, prompting a nationwide crackdown. A recent case involved a matchmaking agency using karaoke waitresses to defraud 128 victims of over 2.5 million yuan.

Despite assurances of background checks and compensation, Wang spent over 400,000 yuan on his "flash marriage," only to discover he had been deceived.