The Disturbing Truth Behind The Viral “Single Dad Delivery Driver” Influencer

Recently, an influencer was arrested for fabricating a story about being a single father struggling to support his toddler daughter as a food delivery driver.

Known online as @qianyibaobei, the Chinese influencer falsely claimed that his wife had abandoned him and his daughter to portray himself as a devoted father earning a living while caring for his child, Qianyi.

In videos posted on platforms including Douyin and Kuaishou, he often emphasized that Qianyi “does not have a mother” and wrote the phrase in large texts over his videos. In one post, he claimed to have completed 43 delivery orders in a day, earning $40 USD to buy food for his daughter. He also shared that he accidentally injured her while working to further gain sympathy from his followers.

However, police investigations revealed that the man was not a delivery rider and Qianyi’s mother still lives with them. The uniform he wore in his videos was revealed to be purchased online.

Authorities penalized him for disturbing public order but did not disclose the specific punishment. Under Chinese law, spreading false information to disrupt public order can result in up to 10 days of detention and a fine of about $70 USD.

This case highlights a growing issue with “sadfishing,” where influencers fabricate hardships to garner sympathy and financial gain. Earlier this year, another influencer named @Liangshanmengyang was jailed for falsely claiming to live in poverty and showing poor living conditions that turned out to be completely fabricated as she was earning over $1.4M USD from the deception.

Critics argue that such deceptive practices exploit public goodwill and undermine genuine cases of need. One commenter said, “Liars like this exploit people’s kindness and prevent those truly in need from receiving help.”