Undercover reporter in China works his way from entry-level sales to executive role to expose a corrupt used car company
- Many have compared the reporter’s commitment to the daring exposé to famous undercover Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs
- The reporter’s boss feared the higher salary and perks of the fake job might lead him to defect
When reporter Lao K went undercover working at a used car sales company he wanted to expose a consumer scam. However, he performed so well that he became vice-director of the company with a dozen staff under him before he revealed the company’s corruption.
Lao K is an investigative reporter for the 315 Show hosted by state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV). Every year, CCTV hosts an annual consumer rights show, similar to the CBS network’s 60 Minutes, which features months-long undercover investigations.
After the show’s broadcast, companies appear to offer a public apology. In the past it has drawn apologies from famous brands including Volkswagen and Apple.
Lao K recounted his experience on Tuesday in a CCTV video, after the annual show this year. He revealed that a few years ago, he went undercover at a used car company to expose how it was cheating consumers by charging prices for vehicles that were higher than their true value.
He initially started in sales, an area he had no experience in, but over time improved.
However, later he found out that his job was of limited help to his investigation, as salespeople rarely handle sensitive company data and documents that could serve as evidence.
