Zhang Bingcheng, a Chinese college student at Xining, Northwest China's Qinghai Province, who played tricks on some frauds and earned some money back, after a group of frauds took advantage of him last year. Screenshot from Pear Video

A college student in Northwest China recently got a measure of revenge on some fraudsters on social media who had ripped him off last year.  

Zhang Bingcheng, a Chinese college student in Xining, Northwest China's Qinghai Province, was defrauded of 800 yuan ($113) last year, but turned the tables on the con artists and tricked them into sending him 110 yuan, according to a video posted by Pear Video on Sina Weibo. 

Zhang said the scam starts in a WeChat group in which each member is  promised they will receive double the money for each payment they send. There are three rounds each involving larger amount of money from each participant. 

At the end of the third round, the con artists simply stop returning the money received from unwary participants. "Instead, they ask you to send an additional 1,000 to 2,000 yuan to them. That was how I was ripped off last year. This time I quit the WeChat group after winning 110 yuan in the first two rounds," Zhang said.

"There is no free lunch in life, be cautious when things are related to money," warned a netizen on Sina Weibo. 

"If you encounter fraud, report it to the police to safeguard your rights. That's a much better choice," said another.

Pear Video