The Haima Studio’s “Money-Saving” Scheme Turns into a Trap: An Analysis of a Scam Related to Second-Hand Gift Cards
Hello everyone, I’m your financial journalist friend. Recently, with the back-to-school and wedding seasons overlapping, the Haima Studio has become even more popular. But today, I’m not talking about how to take great photos; instead, I want to discuss a problem that’s causing many consumers a lot of trouble: buying discount coupons or reservation services for Haima Studio on the Xianyu platform, only to end up losing both money and the products.
This isn’t just a few individuals’ misfortune; it reflects a complex interplay between second-hand transactions, brand channel management, and consumers’ awareness of self-protection. Let’s break down this news and explain in plain language what’s going on and how ordinary people can avoid falling for these scams.
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Summary of the Main Points: Saving a Few Hundred Yuan, Losing Thousands
In short, this news exposes a typical case of scam involving virtual goods on second-hand platforms:
1. The Phenomenon: The Haima Studio is doing well, and there’s a surge of offers for “Haima Studio reservations” and “discount gift cards” on Xianyu.
2. The Scam Mechanism: Sellers attract consumers with low prices, persuading them to transfer money outside of the Xianyu platform via WeChat and then use the provided Haima Studio account for payment.
3. The Consequences: After the payment, sellers immediately change the password and delete the order. The money is refunded to the seller’s gift card balance, which the seller then spends. Consumers not only fail to get the photos but also lose their investment (ranging from a few hundred to several thousand yuan).
4. Positions of All Parties:
- Haima Studio: Clearly distances itself from the issue, stating that Xianyu is not an official channel and suggesting that the cards may have come from leaked corporate group purchases.
- Xianyu: Recommends all transactions to be done within the platform, acknowledging the risks but emphasizing that warnings have been issued.
- Police/Experts: Point out that this is a cross-platform criminal activity, making it difficult to recover the money, and advise consumers not to make private transactions or lend their accounts.
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In-Depth Analysis: These 5 Key Points You Must Understand
1. The Cleverness of the Scam: Why Do You Pay?
Many victims, like Ms. Jian, are not naive; they fall for a seemingly reasonable logic. Let’s review the scam’s steps:
- Step 1: Low-price bait. The official price is 2999 yuan, but Xianyu sellers offer it for 2678 yuan, plus a bonus account balance. For those in a hurry to get wedding photos, this difference of over 300 yuan is tempting.
- Step 2: Building Trust. The seller doesn’t ask for a transfer directly but provides the Haima Studio account and password. When you log in and see a balance (e.g., 620 yuan), your guard drops: “See, the card is real, and the balance is real too.”
- Step 3: Persuading You to Leave the Platform. This is the crucial step. The seller claims high fees on Xianyu or system restrictions, prompting you to transfer the difference via WeChat. Once you pay, the transaction is no longer under Xianyu’s supervision.
- Step 4: Escape and Disappearance. After payment, the seller asks you to log out (under the pretext of privacy) and changes the password. The order screenshot you see on Xianyu is fake or soon deleted.
Simple analogy: It’s like buying a used car. The seller lets you check the dashboard (to confirm the car’s condition) and then asks you to transfer the remaining money directly to their WeChat account, without going through a中介 or platform. Once you transfer the money, they lock the car and drive away. You only have a WeChat record showing the payment, but the car (the order) is gone.
2. Where Does the Money Go? Why Can’t You Get a Refund?
This is what confuses many victims: “I paid with my WeChat, so why is the refund going to someone else’s gift card?”
This involves legal and technical issues regarding fund flow:
- Your money doesn’t go directly to Haima Studio. You transfer it to the seller’s account (or it’s deducted from the gift card balance).
- Haima Studio only recognizes the gift card. The system records the payment as coming from the gift card balance. When you request a refund, the logic is: where the money came from, there it goes back. Since it was deducted from the seller’s gift card, the refund goes back to that card.
- Result: Your 2378.75 yuan becomes the seller’s gift card balance. The seller can use it for more services, withdraw cash (if allowed), or resell it. Ms. Jian’s records show that the money was used multiple times, leaving only 137.9 yuan.
Expert Interpretation (Lawyer Yao Huanqing): This creates two separate transactions:
1. You transfer money to the seller (a private transaction, not monitored by the platform).
2. The seller uses the gift card to make a purchase on Haima Studio (an official transaction, with the refund going to the gift card). Haima Studio has no obligation to verify the source of the money.
3. Where Do These Discount Cards Come From? Are They Leaked or Stolen?
The news suggests that the cards may come from corporate group purchase channels, which is a complex issue:
- Possibility 1: Companies offer Haima Studio coupons as benefits to employees. Some employees sell them on Xianyu. This is legal but risky (e.g., the coupons may expire or be unusable).
- Possibility 2: Internal personnel may resell or steal them. If the quantity is large and the prices are low, it’s possible that insiders generate or steal cards for resale.
- Possibility 3: The cards are just scam tools. Many scammers don’t even need the actual cards; they just need a seemingly genuine Haima Studio account (either purchased, stolen, or with a small amount of credit). They sell “trust,” not the cards themselves.
Key Point: Regardless of the card’s authenticity, any transaction outside official channels (such as the Haima Studio app, Meituan, or Douyin stores) puts the risk entirely on the consumer. Although Haima Studio is not directly responsible for transactions on Xianyu, its lack of strict control over the circulation of corporate coupons creates an opportunity for scams.
4. Why Is It Hard for the Police to Prosecute? Why Can’t the Platforms Stop It?
Victims often face difficulties in getting the case filed:
- Minimum Amount Threshold: Ms. Jian lost over 2600 yuan, but the legal threshold for fraud is 3000 to 5000 yuan in many regions. Below this, it’s treated as a minor offense, resulting in fines or detention, not significant police effort.
- Cross-Regional Crimes: The seller is in Jiangsu, the ID is in Henan, and the victims are in Hunan or Beijing. This makes coordination between local police difficult.
- Platform Security Limitations:
- Xianyu’s limitations: As a C2C platform, it relies on user reports and data analysis. Scammers are clever, using multiple accounts or fake identities to avoid detection.
- Information Silos: Data from Xianyu, WeChat, REDnote, and Haima Studio doesn’t share, creating gaps that allow scams to operate.
- **Expert View (Zhuang Shuai): The main reasons are high profits and low risks. Scamming 2000 yuan might result in a short jail term or fine, but scamming 10 people could yield 20,000 yuan. This “low-risk, high-reward” model persists.
5. How Can Ordinary People Avoid Scams? Remember These Three Rules
Here’s a practical guide based on the news and expert advice:
1. Absolute Rule: Never Leave the Platform for Transactions! All communications, payments, and deliveries must be done within the platform.
- If a seller asks for WeChat, Alipay, or bank transfers, it’s almost certainly a scam or a high-risk transaction. Block and report them immediately.
- Why? Platform transactions are protected, with money held by the platform until delivery confirmation. Private transfers are untraceable by the police.
2. Be wary of Logging into Someone Else’s Account: Any request to log into your account for payment is dangerous; it can lead to confusing refund processes and make it hard to claim your money.
- Principle: Use your own account for your own payments.
3. Don’t Rent, Lend, or Sell Your Accounts: Scammers often obtain real accounts. Lending them can lead to legal issues.
- Remember: Your account is your digital identity; lending it exposes you to risks.
4. If You’ve Been Scammed, What to Do: Report to the police, even if the amount is below the threshold. Keep all evidence and contact the platform to freeze the seller’s account.
- Adjust Your Expectations: The chances of getting your money back are low. The main goal is to stop further losses and prevent others from being affected.
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Conclusion
The popularity of Haima Studio reflects consumer enthusiasm, but it also targets scammers. In the digital age, convenience comes with risks. Those seemingly free discounts often hide clever traps. As consumers, we should not wonder if a coupon is real but focus on basic safety: only buy through official channels and never transfer money privately. The few hundred yuan you save could be the biggest cost if you get scammed.
I hope this analysis helps you and your friends avoid such scams. If you have any questions, feel free to comment and discuss.