Info overload, fraud tarnish popular chat app

WeChat, or Weixin, a popular instant messaging service in China, risks losing its luster as users complain about being bombarded by deceptive ads and excessive information.

The situation came to public attention when a business account put fake ads on "Moments", one of the major functions embedded in WeChat that allows users to upload photos and share their daily life via texts.

On Monday, authorities in Chongqing busted a case in which a "travel agency" account told its followers on WeChat to "Like" its ads to win a free trip to Hong Kong and Macao, which was later proved to be deceptive.