Attracted by the promise of "living healthily to the age of 88", in the past four years, Fang Fang, a retired cadre, has successively invested more than 1.5 million yuan in a wellness center called "Hanfang Health Management Center".
From the initial free pedicure experience, to the private physiotherapy worth 90,000 yuan, to the cerebral infarction treatment that costs 150,000 yuan, she fell into the carefully designed marketing "vortex" step by step until she was in debt.
Fang Fang's experience is not an isolated case.
A number of middle-aged and elderly consumers told The Paper (www.thepaper.cn) that they all invested hundreds of thousands of yuan in the "Yiting Health Management Center", the brother store of the above-mentioned health center, and some people spent more than 500,000 yuan in just one year.
With the original intention of not causing trouble for their children, they spent money on health care, but they didn't expect that not only did the effect fail, but they also lost all their pension money.
Fearing that their children would find out about family conflicts, most of them chose to forbear, and only secretly went out to defend their rights during working days.
At the end of February 2022, an insider of the health care center involved publicly reported that all staff in these institutions focusing on Kampo health care had no medical background or medical qualifications, and that each bottle of Chinese herbal oil, which often costs thousands of yuan, was purchased online. cheap essential oils.
Especially the "expert" trusted by elderly consumers - Huang Wenmin, who claims to be from Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, has only a junior high school education.
It was no one else who exposed all this, but the wife of Huang Wenmin, Zhang Ying, the wife of the agency involved.
Zhang Ying told The Paper that Huang Wenmin's actual control of health care institutions has a total of 12 stores in Shanghai, which are located in Pudong, Baoshan, Hongkou, and Yangpu. The total sales in 2021 alone will reach more than 4.26 million yuan.
Zhang Ying said that she and her husband are both from Heilongjiang, and they chose to run a health care institution in Shanghai because they saw the market potential of middle-aged and elderly groups in first-tier cities.
The Paper interviewed a number of employees who had worked in related health care institutions and learned that the prices of health care items in the store are not fixed. Usually, people order food according to the economic strength of consumers, and they continue to carry out "emotional offensive" against old customers, prompting them Invest continuously.
In an interview with The Paper on March 11, Huang Wenmin denied consumers' claims that employees exaggerated the effects of physiotherapy, and said, "We only do massage, not medical treatment." He also denied that the store had hired experts from Beijing, saying The business is only a small shop and cannot afford to hire experts.
He also said that the price lists are public and there is no deception of consumers.
Health whirlpool: 70-year-old seniors spend 1.5 million in four years
Recalling how she got into this health-preserving puzzle, 74-year-old Shanghai aunt Fang Fang was extremely annoyed.
In the fall of 2018, she was shopping for vegetables in a wholesale market in Pudong, and bumped into two young people doing sales at the door of the market.
Fang Fang said that they introduced her to an institution called "Kanfang Tongren Yangshengtang", where she can experience pedicures for free.
Fang Fang is a retired cadre who suffered from cerebral infarction and stroke a few years ago. She heard that she had experience in foot massage, so she entered the store actually called "Hanfang Health Management Center" under the lobbying of the two.
Unexpectedly, the first "experience" cost her more than 6,000 yuan. "After the massage, I really felt very comfortable. The clerk asked me to apply for a card on the same day, and also said that I could send a knee massage."
Xu Juan, Liu Hua and Wang Lanying, who live in Hongkou, also came into contact with relevant health care institutions through the same method.
The three of them spent 2,400 yuan on the first day at a store called Kamfang Health Management Center (renamed as Yiting Health Management Center from 2021), and the purchases included 50 pedicures.
72-year-old Liu Hua suffers from varicose veins, and 73-year-old Xu Juan suffers from sciatica for many years. They said that they were both deeply attracted by Yangshengtang's claim to "cure all diseases".
It is worth noting that the pedicure items they originally consumed were less than 50 yuan per session.
Obtaining a healthier body, in the eyes of them in their old age, is to reduce the burden on the younger generation as much as possible.
However, it backfired.
Fang Fang said that after applying for the card, the pedicure program was only done a few times, and the clerk continued to recommend programs such as waist physiotherapy and cerebral infarction treatment.
Different from the previous pedicure, the asking price of the follow-up project is often hundreds of thousands of yuan.
Taking the treatment of cerebral infarction as an example, Fang Fang spent 150,000 yuan at a time.
On April 5, 2021, she spent another 98,000 yuan for private physiotherapy.
Up to now, Fang Fang has spent a total of more than 1.5 million yuan in the health center, and therefore has external debts.
Xu Juan also spent a lot of money on health care. She invested more than 500,000 yuan in the health care institution involved within a year.
The store ledger shows that from April to June 2020, Xu Juan purchased items including snake protein immune conditioning, five internal organs detoxification and blood items, of which the price of 14 five internal organs detoxification was 288,000 yuan.
But the exorbitant program did not cure them as they hoped.
Liu Hua told The Paper that after a few physiotherapy sessions, she found that the effect was not good and proposed a refund, but the staff of Yangshengtang immediately conducted a full-body examination for her, saying that physiotherapy needs to be carried out systematically and only partial The improvement cannot be effective. "They also said that I have a potential disease in my body. If I don't prevent and control it, I will definitely develop the disease within three years, and it will be too late to treat it by then."
Liu Hua said that out of fear, she put money into health care programs again and again. Even though she regretted it every time she walked out of the store, she was always in a state of obsession.
The actual controller's wife exposes the scam: the "family of traditional Chinese medicine" is a fake
When asked why they did not go to the hospital for medical treatment, the above four consumers all said that going to a regular hospital for medical treatment takes time and energy, and the hospital cannot provide a radical diagnosis and treatment plan for most of the chronic diseases unique to the middle-aged and elderly.
Fang Fang and others told The Paper that the store mentioned an important person when they introduced the project to them, namely an expert surnamed Huang who claimed to be from Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
After picture identification, Fang Fang confirmed that the expert surnamed Huang was the actual operator of the store, Huang Wenmin.
Fang Fang said that Huang Wenmin took her pulse personally, and claimed that her family had been traditional Chinese medicine for generations, and most of the medicated oil formulas used by the Yangshengtang came from Beijing Tongrentang.
However, the information obtained by The Paper from reliable sources shows that Huang Wenmin is from Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province, and his education is "illiterate or semi-literate".
Huang Wenmin's wife, Zhang Ying, told The Paper that her husband was born in 1984, and his highest education was only junior high school, and neither family had a background in studying or practicing medicine. She worked part-time as a massage technician in a health care institution in Beijing. After her husband went to Shanghai to open a shop, she returned to her hometown in Northeast China to take care of her children.
Zhang Ying said that choosing Shanghai as the location for operating Yangshengtang is because of the high spending power of residents in first-tier cities and their desire for a healthy body.
The Paper learned that Huang Wenmin, as the actual controller, operates Yangshengtang in Shanghai with a total of 12 stores, which are located in Pudong, Baoshan, Hongkou, and Yangpu. The store names are "Hanfang Health Management Center" and "Hanfang Health Management Center" Center", "Medical Court Health Management Center", "Yangzhi Pavilion" and "Huan Chunxuan".
Zhang Ying said Huang Wenmin was a shareholder of Shanghai Hanfang Health Management Co., Ltd.
According to Tianyancha information, Shanghai Hanfang Health Management Co., Ltd. was established in October 2019. The registration authority is Fengxian District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau, and Huang Wenmin is a shareholder.
The registration information shows that the company's business scope is health management consulting, weight loss services, fitness services, manicure services and health massage, as well as technology development, consulting, and transfer services in the fields of health technology, biotechnology, and network technology.
At the same time, the registration information is remarked, and the projects that are subject to approval according to the law can only be carried out after the approval of the relevant departments.
Notably, the company was deregistered on January 19, 2022.
Peng Mei News noticed that Huang Wenmin is also a shareholder in another company called Shanghai Bomiaolin Beauty Technology Co., Ltd. The legal representative of the company is Huang Wenmin's younger brother Huang Wenxin.
Like Shanghai Hanfang Health Management Co., Ltd., the company is also registered with the Fengxian District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau, and the registration time is April 2021.
The establishment time of the above two companies is later than the opening time of the stores involved in the above-mentioned.
In fact, most of the stores involved are registered as individual industrial and commercial households.
Take Xu Juan and other three people’s stores listed as “Kampo Health Management Center” as an example, the actual business license shows the name as “Wenmin Foot Bath Service Department”, and the business scope is only foot bath and massage services.
Zhang Ying told The Paper that the reason why she came forward to report her husband was because of a divorce lawsuit caused by the husband's infidelity in marriage.
Zhang Ying said that Huang Wenmin transferred all the assets of these years while canceling Shanghai Hanfang Health Management Co., Ltd.
According to the photos of the internal meeting of the health care institution provided by it at the end of 2021, the total sales amount of the 12 stores in Shanghai in 2021 will reach more than 4.26 million yuan.
On March 11, The Paper contacted Huang Wenmin by phone. He denied consumers' claims that employees exaggerated the effect of physiotherapy, and said, "We only do massage, not medical treatment." Huang Wenmin also denied that the store had hired Beijing. The way of experts is that they only operate small shops and cannot afford to hire experts.
Selling Secrets: 'Blood for Cancer' and 'Emotional Offensive'
Behind the high-priced health care projects, the operating costs of the Yangshengtang involved are not high.
A technician who used to work in a health care hall actually controlled by Huang Wenmin revealed to The Paper that the so-called Chinese herbal oils used by the store to push back customers are actually cheap essential oils purchased online. In a small bottle, put it in a gift box."
In addition, what made several middle-aged and elderly consumers particularly memorable are the various testing instruments displayed in the store.
Liu Hua said that the staff said that they only need to draw a drop of blood from the human body and put it into the instrument for testing to know whether there are cancer cells in the body.
Liu Hua also saw patterns of various types of cells on the display screen of the blood test equipment, but the staff never showed her any paper reports.
A former employee of the Kampo Health Management Center told The Paper that the essence of the so-called "blood test to detect cancer" is to display the blood under the microscope on the screen, and there is no cancer detection function.
Surging News found the same "one drop blood detector microscope" on the e-commerce platform based on the real photos taken in the Yangshengtang involved, and the online price is only 688 yuan.
At the same time, all kinds of physiotherapy instruments commonly used in the health care institutions involved can also be purchased online. For example, the online price of the vibration massage brush that claims to have the effect of dredging the meridians and detoxification is 95 yuan; 1444 yuan.
Zhang Ying said that the main expenses of Yangshengtang are shop rent and labor costs.
Peng Mei News found in a "Hanfang Health Management Co., Ltd. Employee Enrollment Form" that the basic salary of ordinary employees is 5,000 yuan per month, and the rest need to earn commissions from sales, and the primary criterion for recruiting employees is to see "whether their mouths can speak".
Fang Fang has a deep understanding of this. She has lived alone and widowed for many years. Although she has a daughter, she cannot accompany her all the time. Every time she steps into the health hall, a group of young people enthusiastically gather around to greet her.
She still remembered that on her birthday one year, the manager of the store surnamed Sun gave her a bouquet of red roses and secretly picked her up from behind.
It was this kind of emotional offensive that made it hard for her to resist, and she obediently paid for it.
But what Fang Fang didn't know was that such "care" was just "service consumption" before sales.
The internal employee performance group information of a store on Guangyue Road, Hongkou District, which is actually controlled by Huang Wenmin, shows that after get off work every day, each employee needs to report in the group how they received customers on that day.
Customers are marked with a numerical code, without a name.
The methods of reporting include: consuming warm service, understanding the situation of the guests, etc., and even clearly recording the family information of the guests, the status of their children, etc.
Su Min, the former dean of the Guangyue Road store, told The Paper that it is necessary to understand the customer's feelings, and it is necessary to find out the financial situation of the elderly at the beginning, "Can you make the final decision at home, whether you have children around you, etc., If you live with your children, you have to be extra careful." After grasping the economic situation of consumers, the store can "see the ordering" and offer prices according to the ability of the other party to pay.
The consumers interviewed all said that they have never seen the price list in the store, and every purchase item is introduced orally by the staff.
Fang Fang said that she had wanted to ask other customers about prices, but had never met other consumers at the same time.
Xu Juan said that sometimes after she walked out of the store, she would see the clerk following from a distance.
Su Min said that this is the intentional arrangement of Yangshengtang. "Customers cannot meet each other."
Huang Wenmin also denied this statement, saying that the price list is public and there is no deception of consumers.
In response to the problem of "different prices for the same person" for massage items, he explained that each consumer's program is different, and the essential oils used are also inconsistent, so the price will vary.
Difficult refunds: Consumers say they have been threatened
In order to make consumers continue to invest, Yangshengtang will also launch various activities without interruption.
Su Min said that this is just a routine to make old customers feel the benefits, but in fact, "the wool comes out of the sheep."
In November 2021, Kampo Health Management Center held a year-end reward questionnaire activity.
The activity flow sheet shows that the purpose of this activity is to "reward new and old customers and improve performance".
In the column of requirements for internal personnel, it is written: the atmosphere should be enthusiastic, full of emotion, tacit understanding, perfect connection, clear priorities, attention to details, shaping in advance, clear division of labor, leveraging strength to create good results.
The activity process column also clarifies the whole process of attracting customers: employees need to make an appointment with customers the night before the event, and after customers enter the door, the front desk will greet them with souvenirs; after customers are asked to complete the questionnaire, employees will read a thank you letter , send flowers to hug.
The document also states: Emotions are required, and gratitude must be palpable.
Afterwards, the employees applauded collectively, and the dean applied to give customers a chance to “snap-buy” with cash. When the dean introduced the rush-buying stalls, the employees had to directly tell the customer to ask for the highest stall, and the front desk would cooperate with asking “cash or credit card” , if the customer says no, the employee is responsible for the advance payment and direct payment, "It is appropriate for everyone to coax 1,000 yuan." The document here also states: The atmosphere should be high, and everyone will coax around the customer.
Through this activity, employees who complete the task of receiving the account on the day can receive a proportional share of the commission.
When sales become the top priority, the store must report sales tasks and completion progress in the work group every month.
A screenshot of the chat group chat called "Kanfang Colleagues Management Group" obtained by The Paper shows that the average monthly sales target of each store is about 300,000 yuan.
In addition, Su Min revealed to The Paper that in order to avoid disputes over refunds or services, Yangshengtang has also set up a supervision and inspection group.
Group news shows that in November 2021, a shopping guide surnamed Huang quarreled with customers in the store. This incident ended with a 500 yuan penalty for the shopping guide.
However, similar disputes continue to unfold.
Taking Wang Lanying as an example, she has repeatedly asked for a refund, but the store refused to provide a full refund and needed to sign a refund agreement.
For fear of being known by their children and causing family conflicts, most of the elderly choose to hold back.
A number of relevant Yangshengtang refund agreements obtained by The Paper show that ten conditions must be signed and confirmed for refunds, including: after the refund, consumers must promise not to make any harm to Party A (ie the company) for any reason. Any matter of reputation and reputation; if the consumer affects the normal operation of Party A after the refund, Party A shall have the right to seek legal means to deal with it; Consumer refunds are caused by personal reasons and have nothing to do with Party A's service items and products.
It is also indicated at the end of the article that Party A has the final right to interpret the contents of this agreement within the scope permitted by law.
In the eyes of Xu Juan and others, this is obviously a term of overlord, so they refused to reach a settlement.
Fang Fang said that she invested more than 1.5 million yuan in the Yangshengtang involved, but did not cure any disease. "Every time I have to change the project, I need to pay again. This is a way of cheating the elderly and must be refunded in full. payment."
The consumers interviewed all told The Paper that they encountered obstacles in the refund process, and many people said they had been intimidated and threatened.
Xu Juan said that she had been told "we know your home address" and other threatening words.
Su Min said frankly that the store will immediately refund the elderly who are accompanied by children to refund.
In an interview, Huang Wenmin said that the store has processed the relevant refund appeals, and dozens of consumers have completed refunds.
At present, the four consumers mentioned above, including Wang Lanying, have hired lawyers and are going to sue for their own refunds.
Wang Lanying said that even if the money cannot be recovered, she hopes to use their personal experience to warn more middle-aged and elderly consumers.
(All names are pseudonyms except Huang Wenmin and Huang Wenxin)