Video of Crying Delivery Driver with Fever at 5 AM Goes Viral; Meituan Calls It Staged

As graduation season unfolds, a series of viral social media videos featuring individuals dressed in Meituan delivery rider uniforms have ignited a firestorm of controversy, prompting a swift response from the food delivery giant.

In a statement released on its official WeChat account, “Xiaotuan Has Something to Say,” Meituan refuted claims made in the videos, asserting that scenarios depicting a rider crying at 5 a.m. while delivering food and being penalized for complaints are fabricated.

The videos, originating from accounts like “Molin is Working Hard,” depict scenarios designed to evoke empathy. The primary video features a “rider” claiming to be 19 years old, working 14-hour days, and expressing regret for not pursuing higher education. The account claimed the rider was suffering from a high fever while delivering food at 5 a.m. This video gained significant traction, even trending on Weibo.

Another video, from the account “Red Boy. Hard Life,” portrayed a delivery rider’s alleged struggles with penalties and financial hardship.

Investigations revealed that the “Molin is Working Hard” account began posting videos on May 31st. The “cry for help” videos gained traction on June 4th. However, the account only registered as a Meituan crowd-sourced rider on June 15th and has not, as of yet, completed any deliveries.

The “Red Boy. Hard Life” account has never been registered with Meituan as a delivery rider.

This strongly suggests that the videos in question are staged, and the narratives presented are untrue.

Screenshots of the “Molin is Working Hard” account across multiple platforms and its video store.

Furthermore, “Molin is Working Hard” has repeatedly posted similar content, including scenarios of delivering food at 3, 4, and 5 a.m. while allegedly suffering from fevers. These posts leverage emotionally charged themes like “Is delivering food really embarrassing?” and “I’m truly broke now,” attempting to cultivate a specific persona.

As the videos gained popularity, many users have expressed skepticism in the comments section. Critics have questioned the authenticity and motives behind the content.

Capitalizing on the viral attention, the accounts have introduced e-commerce shops, with the individuals in the videos continuing to livestream these narratives, seemingly seeking to exploit public sympathy for financial gain.

Screenshot of a video from the “Red Boy. Hard Life” account.

The account “Red Boy. Hard Life” (formerly known as “Mao Yuanyuan.”) also presented similar content with the individual supposedly suffering from a high fever while making deliveries.

These individuals also created fabricated stories about financial woes such as being penalized for spilled items. This paints a picture of arduous working conditions, intending to further exploit the emotions of the public.

In response to these accounts’ use of the delivery rider role to fabricate stories and mislead public opinion, Meituan has gathered evidence and may pursue legal action.

Meituan has reiterated its “zero tolerance” policy against actions that denigrate or defame delivery rider communities, vowing to take immediate action upon detection.

From 2024 to the end of May this year, the company has collaborated with public security and internet regulatory departments to investigate and handle over 30 cases/incidents, with the individuals in charge of the relevant accounts and MCN agencies being penalized.