恶意跑路设局？“职业闭店人”需重拳整治

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the emergence of "professional closure" scams in industries reliant on prepaid consumption, revealing a sophisticated scheme that exploits both business owners and consumers, leading to significant financial losses and undermining market integrity [1][4]. Group 1: Scam Mechanism - The "professional closure" scheme involves acquiring businesses under false pretenses, where scammers pose as buyers to collect transfer fees from original owners while simultaneously deceiving consumers into paying for classes that will never be delivered [1][4]. - The operation includes a series of coordinated steps: identifying targets, planning closures, recruiting "debt bearers," changing legal entities, creating false appearances, and inducing consumers to recharge [1][4]. Group 2: Regulatory Gaps - The article points out existing regulatory loopholes in prepaid consumption oversight, corporate registration reviews, and accountability mechanisms, which allow such scams to proliferate [4][5]. - The transformation of company registration into a tool for evading debts and the use of nominal legal entities as shields against liability are highlighted as critical issues that damage consumer rights and erode market trust [4]. Group 3: Prevention and Consumer Awareness - To combat "professional closure," the article emphasizes the need for stronger preventive measures, including risk assessment mechanisms during corporate ownership changes and enhanced scrutiny of entities frequently acquiring prepaid businesses [5]. - It advocates for the establishment of third-party escrow systems for prepaid funds to ensure that consumer payments are used appropriately and not misappropriated [5]. - Consumers are urged to remain vigilant against enticing offers and to prioritize businesses with good reputations and transparent financial practices, while also retaining documentation for legal recourse [5].