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Hello, and welcome to another edition of Frontline, the features segment brought to you by China Radio International. I'm your host, Wu Jia.

When looking for a job, applicants normally attach great importance to interviews with potential employers. A successful interview can lead the applicant to his or her desired job. In today's program, however, a young Xiamen woman called Xiao Ting underwent an unusual interview which ended with her in the local police station. Let's follow our reporter Yang Lei to learn more.

Reporter: Twenty-one-year-old Xiao Ting was working as a typist in a company in Xiamen after graduation from a polytechnic school. Her salary was low and the company was far from her home, so she had been planning to move to a better job. One day while she was shopping, she stumbled into a job center by chance.

"At that moment, I didn't harbor much hope, but I just wanted to try my luck. You know, it's so difficult to find a good job and I am just a graduate of a polytechnic school. I don't have much of an advantage in terms of my educational record."

Xiao Ting left her curriculum vitae and contact information at the job center. To her surprise, the job center called her the next morning with the news that a handicraft company was recruiting a clerk and wanted to interview her after reviewing her personal information.

"I heard from the job centre that the company was quite good, a large company that paid its staff nicely. Given such a good opportunity, I should seize it, shouldn't I?"
The job center gave Xiao Ting a telephone number and told her to contact a manager surnamed Lin. Xiao Ting made the call right away.

"After I said my name, the man didn't ask me anything. He only said he already knew my information and wanted me to come for an interview. The venue for the interview was XX Square in Jiangtou."

Xiao Ting thought it strange that Manager Lin had arranged the interview at a public square.

"Manager Lin told me his company was short of hands. He wanted to recruit someone as soon as possible. Since he had some affairs to deal with at XX Square, if it was convenient for me, I could meet him there."

Anchor: At first, Xiao Ting had some misgivings, but decided the manager must be very busy. Xiao Ting felt relieved, and agreed to an appointment with Manager Lin in the afternoon.

Reporter: Xiao Ting arrived at the appointed venue that afternoon full of hope.

"While talking with me over the phone, Manager Lin walked toward me. He is a man in his forties, carrying a black briefcase and wearing white. We stood at roadside. He asked to see my ID card first."

After checking Xiao Ting's ID card, Manager Lin asked about her education and work experience. Manager Lin said he was satisfied with her replies, and promised her a monthly salary of more than 3000 yuan, or 400 US dollars. Xiao was overjoyed, as the pay was much higher than she had expected. But Manager Lin first had a request. He said the clerk recruited by his company should know a little about finance, and pulled a piece of paper from his briefcase.

"I took the paper and saw that it was a stamped application sheet. Manager Lin asked me to take the paper to the bank to buy him two books of checks."

A bank was less than 20 meters away. Xiao Ting took the paper and bought a book of cash checks and a book of transfer checks.

"Once I left the bank, I looked around and Manager Lin was not there. I called him. He said he was handling some affairs at another place and would be back soon. I waited. Manager Lin arrived less than five minutes later."