Thaindian News

Shanghai, April 11 (IANS) A group of conmen who used a trick that dated back to the Qing dynasty era of four centuries ago to extort money has been busted in this Chinese city, police said.

The conmen forced over 60 motorists to fork out compensation after faking accidents, Shanghai Daily reported Monday.

Police compared the scam to “porcelain crashing” that dated back to the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).

In those days, swindlers would carry cheap porcelain goods and deliberately collide with carriages to extract compensation for their damaged “antiques”.

The gang of conmen employed a similar strategy, said police.

The seven men from Hubei province would con victims on highways in suburban districts by staging a minor accident in which a pedestrian would get “injured”. The driver would be told to pay money to avoid police involvement and a lawsuit.

Li, a driver, was swindled out of 15,000 yuan ($2,295) for an “injury”.

He told police he was driving at a moderate speed on a highway in Qingpu district Dec 31 last year when he felt a slight collision. He thought he had gone over a pothole.

Men on a motorbike chased him and threatened to accuse Li of hit and run unless he paid up.

On investigation, the police found the “collision” was a staged one, and Li was not at fault at all. And ten conmen had cornered him into forking out money.