Hong Kong — TVB veteran actor Eric Tsang is suffering backlash for reportedly tricking his fans into purchasing fake alcohol online.
According to the Apple Daily, the 67-year-old appeared on a special live stream recently on Douyin to advertise 22 types of alcohol, including red and white wine, beer and Wuliangye, a well-known alcohol brand from mainland China.
The comedian also promoted food products such as duck neck and crayfish during the four-and-a-half-hour live stream that ended with more than RMB13.5 million (S$2.7 million) in purchases.
However, Tsang soon came under fire on his Douyin profile from fans who accused him of touting bootleg goods and asked for refunds for their purchases.
One said: “After I bought the brandy, I was not able to scan the barcode to confirm its authenticity. I want to ask (Eric) if this alcohol is counterfeit.”
Another said he ordered three bottles of Wuliangye but received only one and two bottle of wine.
Others became suspicious when their purchases arrived without the original packaging.
“After buying the items, I now find that live broadcasts are just too scripted. The inventory is fake, and it is said that they sold fake stuff too,” one man said.
But a few fans defended Tsang. They said he might have also been conned by manufacturers who showed him legitimate products during the live stream but sold counterfeit ones to customers.
Tsang has been in trouble with the law in the past. He was convicted of corruption in 1976 but fled while on bail. His house was later seized and sold.
The comedian is famous for hosting the variety show Super Trio series on TVB for more than 18 years. He was also a Hong Kong professional soccer player when he was young. /TISG