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A wave of "Middle Eastern princess" influencers in China, known for marketing "royal" lifestyle products, has crashed down amidst divorce announcements and revelations of elaborate scams. These influencers, who fabricated tales of marrying wealthy Arab princes, are now facing account bans and public backlash after being exposed for selling cheap, low-quality goods.
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One influencer, Luo Jialin, boasting 100,000 followers, flaunted a luxurious lifestyle, claiming her husband was a Saudi prince and announcing a supposed relocation to Saudi Arabia. She advertised a fire sale of assets, offering items like "French perfume" and "British laundry detergent" for under US$7. Skeptical viewers questioning the sale of such mundane items by royalty were quickly silenced.
Another influencer, also paired with a "Dubai prince," announced a staged divorce to further fuel a liquidation sale. She sold hundreds of pairs of stockings and over a thousand units of "British laundry detergent" at similarly low prices.
State media revealed these influencers hired foreign actors to portray royalty, selling low-quality goods under false pretenses. Authorities have since banned their accounts and removed the products from sale. The Dubai Chinese community clarified that no Arab royal family authorized these sales.
This scam has triggered outrage online, with users criticizing the exploitation of fans' fascination with wealth and status. Many shared stories of purchasing subpar products from these "princesses," warning others against falling for such scams.
The incident has also highlighted genuine Chinese influencers married to Middle Easterners. One such KOL, "Saudi Rou Sister," who built a perfume brand with her husband in Saudi Arabia, cautioned against the illusion of readily available wealth in the Middle East, noting that genuine elites tend to maintain a low profile.
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News source: scmp.com
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