Not all Shanzhai’s are created equal.

A Nanjing area prosecutor’s office has arrested four chief suspects in connection with a fraudulent internet scheme. The suspects used a fake Alibaba website (in Chinese, a blatant knock-off  is referred to as “Shanzhai”)  and 400 cell phones to steal hundreds of thousands of yuan from residents in more than 20 provinces and cities.

On 9 April 2008, Nanjing resident Li stated he received notification from Alibaba’s “information system” that his account had been selected as the grand prize winner in a lottery sponsored in cooperation between Alibaba and the Sony Corporation.   The grand prize was 38,000 yuan in cash and a Sony notebook.

Li clicked on the link provided showing the contest’s details and rules. The website also gave a telephone number 40067588XX, which he called numerous times to talk with people who identified themselves as the “Alibaba staff.”  Li used his ATM card to pay contest fees such as “award taxes,” “personal income tax,” “express mail fees, “award insurance,”…etc. The total on that bill came to 26,550 yuan.  Li finally figured out the whole thing was a scam…tears of pride were shed in Nigeria.

Much more stuff but bottom line…

Shanzhai, it is only funny when we do it to you.