In a first-time incident, a man from China was arrested after posting a fake “wanted order” on social media saying he was a criminal whose arrest was wanted by the police. The man with his surname Wang posted the forged document on November 11, 2024. The post became viral, and the local police arrested him soon thereafter.
Wang, describing himself as a renowned Chinese actor, dancer, and singer, Wang Yibo, issued a detailed “Wanted Order” post on social media in which he said he extorted 30 million yuan ($4 million) from a company. In this post, Wang also told that he has a submachine gun and 500 rounds of ammunition, for whose capture he even offered a reward of 30,000 yuan ($4,000). This bizarre post caught the eye of the internet users and soon went viral, amassing more than 350,000 views and counting its shares into thousands.
Police Investigate and Arrest the Imposter
Local police took immediate action following the discovery of the post on November 12. They launched a swift investigation within hours, and Wang was arrested. No evidence was found to support Wang’s claims of extortion, firearms, or ammunition. No company has reported being defrauded by Wang.
Wang later admitted that the whole incident was a prank. He confessed to creating the fake arrest warrant out of boredom and a low mood. He just wanted to entertain himself and gain attention online.
Consequences of Fabricating False Information
This has led to some public debate over who bears the liability for users of social media and what law may impose upon such conduct. Governments have again said that there is no such thing as the ‘lawless’ internet and citizens should not spread falsehoods.
It is a real case of Wang, a stark reminder of how a post seemingly harmless may spin out into legal trouble. The continuing case case will be seen to resonate with growing concerns over online conduct and the associated penalties over spreading false information in a digital age.
