Wang Can, wife of actor Du Chun, reveals: “I get calls every day urging me to repay my debts.”

On November 24, Wang Can — the wife of actor Du Chun — posted on social media seeking help, revealing that her personal information had allegedly been stolen to open a Huabei credit account. She stressed that she never applied for it, yet receives debt collection calls every single day. Even after blocking numbers, callers keep switching to new ones, severely disrupting her daily life. She questioned: How can such harassment be stopped? And how did her private information leak in the first place?

This is not the first time Wang Can has faced a personal data security crisis. Back in April, during an online shopping dispute, a customer service agent threatened her by claiming to “know her home address,” exposing how consumer information flows through illegal data markets. Then in July, she nearly fell for a telecom fraud scheme; the anti-fraud center warned her that her phone might have been infected with malware. These events suggest her personal data has been repeatedly traded and exploited on the dark web.

As a celebrity family member, Wang Can frequently appeared on reality shows like Mother-in-Law and Mom, openly discussing her family life — which increases the risk of personal information exposure. Combined with the online scrutiny she has faced regarding parenting remarks and appearance changes, her information has become more “valuable” to cybercriminals.

Many questioned how identity theft succeeded under platforms like Alipay, which require real-name verification and facial recognition.
Experts say the issue does not stem from security loopholes in payment platforms. Instead, cybercrime groups use massive amounts of leaked historical data from e-commerce and logistics channels (ID numbers, phone numbers, etc.) to assemble complete identity packages, potentially bypassing automated verification systems. In short, criminals are exploiting the “digital footprints” people unintentionally leave online.

After the incident broke out, public opinion was divided. Some skeptics — aware of Wang Can’s past involvement in public controversies — questioned whether this was another publicity stunt. However, legal experts emphasized that regardless of motives, stealing personal information to open credit accounts and persistent harassment are illegal and prosecutable offenses.

Wang Can’s experience serves as a warning not only to public figures but to all users. In a digital world, personal data black markets target anyone — not just celebrities. System vulnerabilities and insufficient personal protection could turn any ordinary person into the next victim.