Caixin Weekly | Lalamove Drivers Frequently Involved in Transporting Funds for Telecom Scams: What Is the Platform’s Responsibility? (AI Translation)

财新周刊｜货拉拉司机屡为电诈运钞 平台责任何在？

The article explores how online freight platforms in China, especially major players like Huolala (Lalamove) and Didi, have become new conduits for online scams and money laundering, specifically through schemes involving the physical transport of cash or gold by ride-hailing and delivery vehicles. It details the evolving nature of telecom fraud, which, after enticing victims through fake cashback or investment opportunities, requires circumventing financial system controls to launder stolen assets. Since 2024, a new, concealed scam emerged where criminals manipulate victims to withdraw cash or buy gold, then use freight or ride-hailing platforms to deliver these valuables to anonymous recipients. Police data shows such scams have involved amounts exceeding hundreds of millions of yuan; for example, in the first half of 2025, Guangzhou police intercepted approximately 28.63 million yuan in cash and 2,683 grams of gold, arresting over 130 suspects. [para. 1][para. 2][para. 3][para. 4]

Key platforms like Huolala and Didi have been implicated, with law enforcement agencies launching anti-fraud briefings and initiating talks with platform operators. Huolala reports having intercepted over one million yuan through proactive reporting and technology, but given the massive scale of fraud, this is far from sufficient. High compliance costs and inconsistent regional management impede tougher verification measures, such as requiring drivers to open boxes and inspect shipments. Industry insiders and legal experts argue that platforms, often self-identifying as mere ‘information brokers’, must accept more responsibility for safety checks and order vetting. [para. 5][para. 6][para. 7][para. 8][para. 9]

At the heart of the debate is the legal status of these platforms—are they just intermediaries, or do they bear the legal obligations of traditional freight carriers? While traditional carriers are strictly regulated and assume liability for safety, online platforms utilize broad waivers in service agreements to shirk such duties. New industry standards implemented in July 2024 make some obligations more explicit but lack legal enforceability, leaving gaps in regulatory oversight. Experts suggest clarifying the platforms’ legal status and duties through new legislation. [para. 10][para. 11][para. 12][para. 13]

Through a detailed scam case study, the article demonstrates how fraudsters manipulate victims into delivering cash using Huolala, instructing them to conceal the true nature of the goods and exploiting platform loopholes (like 'no need for consignor to ride along'). Typical features of fraudulent orders include suspicious packaging, insistence on anonymity, and demands for personal contact information from drivers, making detection difficult. The process is designed to thwart bank and police anti-fraud controls and is often prolonged by transferring the cash multiple times using various transport modes. [para. 14][para. 15][para. 16][para. 17]

The piece further profiles the challenges involved in enforcing anti-fraud measures—drivers lack authority to open packages, customers oppose compulsory inspections, and practical, cost-effective solutions are lacking even within more tightly regulated logistics companies. Suggestions include developing dynamic, collaborative monitoring with the police to pre-empt suspicious orders. Regulation is also inconsistently applied between sectors: for instance, express delivery services ban cash shipments, but major freight platforms leave more to driver discretion. [para. 18][para. 19][para. 20][para. 21][para. 22][para. 23][para. 24]

When fraud occurs and losses ensue, civil litigation is hampered by legal ambiguities over platform liability. Courts typically prioritize criminal investigation over civil claims—that is, “criminal before civil”—so victims face delays in resolving their cases against platforms, with the latter denying responsibility as mere intermediaries. Legal scholars and lawyers call for an urgent update to existing laws to clarify the obligations and accountability of online freight platforms, referencing precedents in online ride-hailing regulation and advocating for systemic reform to close loopholes exploited by criminals. [para. 25][para. 26][para. 27][para. 28][para. 29][para. 30][para. 31][para. 32][para. 33][para. 34]