Participants in China’s Squid Game have fallen victim to fraudsters

In China, people who took part in a challenge game hoping to win up to 1 million yuan ($140,000) have fallen victim to scammers and lost their money.

This is reported by Reuters.

The trials are organized based on the South Korean TV series Squid Game.

Unlike the popular game, participants do not risk their lives, but they need to make a contribution of several hundred dollars to join the game.

People are promised a reward in exchange for spending a few days in isolation, in a locked room monitored by video cameras.

There are many rules, including no smoking, drinking alcohol, using electronic devices, or socializing with anyone outside the room.

For violation, participants are expelled, often on the very first day. No refunds are given.

One of the players surnamed San paid 5,4 thousand yuan ($740), he intended to stay in the room for 30 days and earn 250 thousand yuan (about $34,2 thousand).

However, on the third day, the organizers said the man broke the rules by covering his face with a pillow (according to the rules, the face cannot be hidden for more than three seconds).

Sun appealed to a court in the eastern province of Shandong. The court concluded that the terms of the game were unfair and ordered the man to pay back the money.

The game has grown in popularity in the country this year amid a slowing economy, Reuters notes.