The lonely Chinese men being conned by fake brides - BBC News

"Flash marriage" scams are an extreme symptom of a demographic crisis long in the making in China.

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Watch: Chinese man targeted by 'flash wedding' scams

At 37, Wang Zhuang had almost given up hope of finding a wife, until he saw the glossy matchmaking adverts.

They promised he wouldn't have to waste years on building a relationship that had no future. They offered to introduce him to a demure, devoted woman.

"The matchmakers said that girls from Guizhou are frugal," Wang says. "They told me they are good at running a household, able to do housework, and their families are very poor, so after marrying into your family, they would settle down and live a life with you."