[2] Compiled from: Linshu County People's Court
 
"Free wine collection" "Collect wine for free", "Collect original wine and ginseng wine" — such a good deal? Beware! Avoid falling into the trap of criminals.

[1] Image source from the internet; if infringement occurs, please delete!

Case review
Yu and Ge met while setting up stalls at a market. In early April this year, they hit it off and planned to use Ge's wine for a "reverse" scheme, splitting the profits 60-40. So, Yu, Ge, and their hired helper Li drove to Yushan, Jiaolong, Qingyun towns, among others, to commit crimes.
 
At each location, Li and Ge falsely claimed "free wine collection" and "collect original wine and ginseng wine," constantly drawing crowds. Yu would stand in the middle of the encircled crowd, shouting through a megaphone about "wine promotion" and "advertising for the manufacturer," introducing the wine and giving away small gifts like shoe brushes and rags to lure the onlookers into the trap.
 
"After all this talking, my mouth is dry. Whoever buys me a drink gets wine!" After some introduction, Yu used this as an excuse to guide the crowd to pay small amounts. But after collecting the money, Yu and his crew would return it all and give each paying person a bottle of liquor, creating the illusion of "collecting wine for free."
 
Seeing that some people believed it, Yu would continue boasting about the benefits of ginseng wine, shouting, "Whoever treats me to a meal gets ginseng wine!" and "The more you pay, the more you get," further coaxing the crowd to willingly hand over money. Pay 100 yuan for one bottle of ginseng wine, pay 200 yuan for one bottle of original wine and one bottle of ginseng wine... Those who tasted the initial benefit would eagerly pay, with some even handing over money meant for market shopping or medical expenses. At this point, the crowd, immersed in the joy of receiving wine, firmly believed Yu and his crew wouldn't actually take their money. Even when Yu repeatedly joked, "I'll really pocket it now," or "I won't refund the money, okay?" the onlookers thought it was a joke and cooperatively replied, "Sure, sure," "Okay, okay."
 
But this time, Yu didn't return the money. Instead, he took advantage of the crowd helping with wine promotion at the market to flee. The victims, realizing they had been scammed, called the police. Yu and his crew confessed to their crimes after being apprehended. According to statistics, they defrauded the victims of 7,100 yuan in cash, all of which has now been fully refunded.
 
 
[1] Court Opinion
After trial, the People's Court found that the charges of fraud brought by the public prosecution against defendants Yu, Ge, and Li were established. The three defendants truthfully confessed their crimes upon arrival, voluntarily admitted guilt and accepted punishment, and after the incident, they compensated for the losses and actively paid fines, which could lead to a lighter sentence. Considering all sentencing circumstances, the court sentenced Yu and Ge to four months of criminal detention, suspended for four months, with a fine of 4,000 RMB; and Li to three months of criminal detention, suspended for three months, with a fine of 3,000 RMB. After the verdict, all three defendants expressed acceptance.
 
 
"Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China"
Article 266 [Crime of Fraud]
Whoever defrauds public or private property, if the amount is relatively large, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, or public surveillance, and shall also, or shall only, be fined; if the amount is huge or there are other serious circumstances, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than ten years, and shall also be fined; if the amount is especially huge or there are other especially serious circumstances, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than ten years or life imprisonment, and shall also be fined or have property confiscated. Where this Law otherwise provides, such provisions shall prevail.
 
 
[1] The author's perspective
Watching the excitement is a common part of many people's daily lives, and joining in the commotion is understandable. However, when it comes to money, one must be extra cautious. Ask yourself, where is the free lunch? The three swindlers in this case also claimed "no money needed," but in reality, they accepted tips from the onlookers. This shows that one should not get carried away and forget the essence—money given away is like water spilled, hard to recover.
 
If you discover it's a scam, be sure to keep records of transfers and related evidence, and report it promptly to prevent the swindlers from fleeing, making it truly difficult to recover. Additionally, be especially cautious with any alcohol or food obtained in such scams, as they are likely low-quality, unlabeled products. Losing money and harming your health would be an even greater loss!