Customers use online discount offers to order services and food - which scammers then pay for using someone else's stolen bank details.
The owner of a Domino's Pizza franchise, who did not want to be named, noticed something unusual on an invoice from May as money deducted from her account showing up as "chargebacks".
It has never happened like this. We had so many chargebacks. I think for my shop, I had five or six chargebacks," she said.
Confused, she contacted the customers who made the bookings but they said the orders were real.
An investigation by the company found all of these customers placed their orders using third-party online advertising deals on WeChat, a social media platform popular among the Chinese community.
However, in these cases the third party was a scammer who pocketed the money and instead used someone else's stolen bank details to pay for the orders online.
When the person whose details have been stolen spotted the fraudulent transaction, their bank organised a refund from the retailer, which is known as a chargeback.
The pizza franchise owner said it meant retailers have to absorb the cost of the fraud.
"When they do the order, they couldn't tell anything wrong. All goods have been pre-paid on the internet... For the customers, it's also ok because they bought something very cheap. The problem is only the bad people got the real money."
She said it is better for people to place orders on the official website and avoid third parties.
A Domino's statement said what has happened was disappointing and the company takes the privacy of customers seriously.
"The Company has reported the WeChat scam cases and they are now the subject of a police investigation. All legitimate Domino's offers can be found on the Domino's website, Offers App and verified social media channels."
还真用过
When they do the order, they couldn't tell anything wrong. All goods have been pre-paid on the internet... For the customers, it's also ok because they bought something very cheap. The problem is only the bad people got the real money.