China grandma drains life savings on US$450,000 beauty fraud before daughter discovers it

A 75-year-old woman from Shanghai, surnamed Yu, spent all her retirement savings of three million yuan (US$450,000) on beauty treatments at a salon called Yongqi Beauty and Hairdressing Company and a medical beauty clinic affiliated with it. Her daughter, who found out about the expenditure, sought help from a Shanghai television program.

The treatments included skin tightening, thread lifting, meridian massage, eyebrow and lip tattooing, and multiple sessions of the same procedures, all at prices significantly higher than market rates. Despite being billed 10 to 20 times more than usual, Yu did not notice the high costs, believing she was financially secure. She had earned the savings by selling her home.

When her daughter discovered the situation, Yu had no more savings and was forced to sell her jewelry. The Yongqi store had referred her to Rouyi, a medical beauty clinic, which charged her 300,000 yuan (US$45,000) for an "intimate care" procedure but later replaced it with other skincare treatments. The clinic's invoices listed mysterious items like "happiness chair" and "space capsule" that Yu could not understand.

Attempts to contact Rouyi for comment were unsuccessful. Yu's daughter discovered that the clinic billed her through Yongqi's account. The store claimed that Yu requested the frequent procedures due to "appearance anxiety" and that all prices were clearly marked. They issued a partial refund. However, the SCMP reached out to the store and the clinic for further comments, but they declined to provide additional details.

The store continued to operate without any official investigation or suspension. Critics argue that while elderly individuals have the right to pursue beauty, they should not be exploited by dishonest businesses.