Is it reliable?, People's Park's current "street vendor matchmaker": You can have a name at the blind date corner for 100 yuan per month. Reporter | Service | Street vendor
When it comes to the People's Park blind date corner, many citizens are not unfamiliar with it. It has been around for decades and has a high level of popularity both locally and nationally in Shanghai. However, the Liberation Daily Shangguan News recently received feedback from citizens stating that there are many "street vendor matchmakers" in blind date corners and calling on park management to strengthen management.
The phenomenon of paid custody of information is widespread
Ms. Chen recalled that she met a salesperson at the entrance of People's Park. "The other party showed me the stall and promised to provide a 3-month service, as well as recommend suitable blind dates." Considering the child's age, Ms. Chen didn't think much and transferred 300 yuan to the other party through WeChat, leaving her personal information. However, over a month has passed and she hasn't received a single call. "I contacted the other person on WeChat, and he said it's currently the off-season and there's already a lack of information. When I requested a refund, he recommended a completely mismatched person to me and then ignored me."
On July 22nd, the reporter went to the blind date corner of People's Park to learn more details. At 10 o'clock in the morning, a heavy rain had just stopped, and the uncles and aunties eagerly returned to their stalls: various colored introduction information leaflets were either placed directly on the ground, or placed on umbrellas and chairs. When passersby stopped for a moment, the stall owners immediately stood up to inquire about the situation, bustling with activity. Careful attention will reveal that some people have more than one sign placed in front of them. "I can also help put the information of relatives and friends together," said a citizen who was looking at multiple information boards at the same time.
However, in addition to "friendly assistance", there are also many paid items in the blind date corner: enter from Gate 5 and walk straight ahead for more than a hundred meters, with dozens of printed or handwritten information introductions neatly placed on the steps on the right side. An old man sat upright above the steps and saw that business was coming to him. He directly quoted the price, "100 yuan per month, starting in three months.". He claims to provide information hosting services for others. "If you don't have time to set up a stall and want to find a partner for your children, you can hang out with me. If someone sees the information and thinks it's suitable, they will contact you directly.".
Many people stop in front of the booth to check the information.
On site, there were many people providing similar services. The reporter observed multiple booths displaying a large amount of information about marriage seekers and found that some booths displayed the same contact information below. After inquiry, it was found that if there is a desired "partner", the WeChat account of the stall manager must be added first, and contact information can only be obtained after being introduced by the stall owner. Some vendors also claim to be free, or simply say, "By the way, just give a red envelope.". Originally a matchmaking corner that facilitated good things, under the operation of these "street vendor matchmakers", a mature fee system has been established.
"Is it compliant to engage in marriage intermediary activities privately with just one phone or WeChat without registration?" Ms. Chen questioned.
Be wary of false information and deceit behind it
During the on-site visit, the reporter noticed that in addition to the "street vendor matchmaker" who only provides information hosting services, there are also many professional marriage agencies conducting business in the park. As the reporter walked through the crowd, an aunt approached and said, "Little girl, come, come, register a message, and add a WeChat to recommend suitable people to you." She handed over a printed promotional brochure and said, "We are a legitimate matchmaking company with a dedicated information database. If you are in a hurry, you can directly go to our matchmaking service and sign a contract at the store.". Some matchmakers simply mix up in the middle of the stalls. Upon hearing that a reporter was inquiring about the information of one of the marriage candidates, the vendor showed the reporter detailed information of the man on his phone. The photo was coded, and he then took the opportunity to introduce the matchmaking platform. He also pushed the company's customer service WeChat to the reporter, saying, "Talk to the customer service and they will recommend a suitable person for you.".
In today's highly developed social media world, offline matchmaking roles remain vibrant. A father who came to search for his son's marriage revealed the reason: "Some online platforms are filled with a lot of false information, and it is relatively reliable to communicate with parents offline and face-to-face." In the impression of many citizens, blind date corners are a platform for communication between eligible men and women, very pure, and should not evolve into a place for some people to seek profits. Not long ago, some citizens called the "12345" citizen service hotline to question the mixed use and frequent chaos in blind date corners, calling on the management to strengthen management. Regarding this, the park management replied that the blind date corner was organized spontaneously by citizens, and the park did not provide any platform or charge any fees. The Huangpu District Civilization Park Convention states that without permission, various activities such as setting up stalls, promoting sales, and team building are not allowed. The park authorities do not have law enforcement powers and can only increase management, patrols, and regulatory efforts to create a good park atmosphere for tourists.
"Be careful, the situation here is very complicated. Don't casually disclose your information, be careful not to sell it." As the reporter strolled around the blind date corner, the security guard at the door warned and provided tips for judging the authenticity of the information. "It is relatively reliable to only display one page of information, and most of it is arranged by parents themselves. If a person places several pieces of information in front of them, it is likely to be a marriage matchmaker. If a person places a piece of information, it must be someone who collects money, releases people, or puts information, and the content written may not be true.".
The reporter noticed that on May 8th this year, the Minhang District Procuratorate of Shanghai filed a public prosecution against a fraud case that lured false investments under the guise of marriage and love. Aunt Zhang, the victim of the scam, was searching for a good match for her daughter at the blind date corner when she believed a man claiming to be the "Vice President of a listed company" and was scammed 520000 yuan. Here, it is still reminded that when citizens search for partners for their children or themselves, they must be vigilant and understand the service content before deciding whether to pay the fees. Once they are found to have been deceived, they should properly keep evidence such as transfer vouchers and chat records, and report to the public security department in a timely manner.
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