Missing Chinese influencer found homeless & begging for money in Cambodia
The Chinese embassy in Cambodia tracked down a 20-year-old woman from China.
Viral photos had shown the woman injured and begging for medical funds on the streets of Cambodia.
The embassy subsequently identified her as missing Chinese influencer Wu Mouzhen and located her in a hospital.
She allegedly lost contact with her family in December last year.
Source: The Cover
She was eventually hospitalised in Sihanoukville on 3 Jan, while her family is trying to bring her back to China.
Spotted begging people for medical funds on streets
While in China, Ms Wu was a social media personality with over 24,000 followers on Douyin.
When the embassy found her in Cambodia, she was wearing a white mini dress, a tweed blazer, and a headband.
Source: @Umi on Douyin
She was begging passers-by for money near a hotel, claiming she needed funds to pay for her medical bills.
Ms Wu was holding an X-ray film that appeared to show injuries to her knees.
Source: China National Radio
With her clothes messy and her hair unkempt, she was visibly exhausted and thin.
Family last heard from her on 26 Dec
Ms Wu reportedly uploaded a social media post on 6 Dec, saying she was in Cambodia, before going missing.
Reports also said 11 of her subsequent videos were geotagged in Cambodia.
Source: @Umi on Douyin
The family’s last contact with her was a video call on 26 Dec. During that call, she requested RMB2,200 (S$400) for leg treatment.
Her father revealed that she had been asking for financial help since November. The family had already transferred around RMB80,000 (S$14,600) to her during the period.
Embassy officials locate her on 3 Jan
On Sunday (4 Jan), the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia issued a statement, saying it had located Ms Wu in a hospital in Sihanoukville on Saturday.
Source: The Cover
There, doctors diagnosed her with a lung infection, pleurisy, pleural effusion, urinary retention, and low protein levels.
A hair test also came back positive for methamphetamine and ketamine, according to Taiwan’s China Times.
Authorities later transferred her to another medical facility for better treatment, and she is currently recovering.
She had been lured to Cambodia by the promise of high-paying job
According to the Chinese embassy in Cambodia, Ms Wu is a native of Fujian.
She stopped her education after completing middle school and moved to Zhejiang province for work.
Ms Wu was allegedly lured to Cambodia by the promise of high-paying work before ending up homeless.
Source: @Umi on Douyin
She explained in a video call with China News Weekly that she had arrived in March 2025 for a service industry job arranged by a friend. During this time, she met a boyfriend and later broke up.
Things took a turn for the worse when her health worsened due to drug use. The landlord eventually evicted her, fearing she might die on the property.
As a result of this, she ended up being homeless on the streets.
Victim disclosed the nature of her job to her family
According to HK01 reports, Ms Wu’s family only learned that their daughter was in Cambodia after someone who was trying to identify a woman in photos circulating on social media contacted them.
Upon reporting the situation to the police, they learned that she had travelled to Cambodia.
Source: @Umi on Douyin
“She hid it from us. She lied and said she was in Zhejiang province,” her mother said.
The mother was also unaware of her daughter’s substance use until December 2025.
She learned through a friend that Ms Wu had been struggling with addiction.
Embassy reached out to family to arrange her return to China
The embassy has reached out to Ms Wu’s family to facilitate her return to China.
Her family, aided by the Fujian police, will travel to Cambodia to bring her daughter home.
In addition, it issued a warning urging Chinese nationals to avoid scams offering unrealistically high-paying jobs, which often lead to abuse and legal trouble.
Also read: Influencer thought to be missing in Cambodia gets arrested for human trafficking
Influencer thought to be missing in Cambodia gets arrested for human trafficking
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Featured image adapted from The Cover, China National Radio, and @Umi on Douyin.
