Several government employees in China are under investigation after being caught using face masks printed with their coworkers’ faces to bypass facial recognition attendance systems.
According to Dexerto, the incident took place at the Lijiayang Community neighborhood committee in Wenzhou, Zhenjiang Province, where officers allegedly falsified attendance records using custom-made masks.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows employees holding the printed masks and taking turns checking in at the attendance machine. In some cases, one person was able to clock in for multiple coworkers using the masks.
Local Party Official Also Implicated
Local reports claim that the community’s Party Secretary was also seen using a printed face mask to clock in. When questioned by investigators, the official allegedly failed to fully cooperate or answer questions, further raising concerns about leadership accountability.
A whistleblower, identified as Mr. Li, said he reported the fraudulent activity to supervisors in October. He was reportedly told he would receive a response by December 31.
However, after footage of the scheme went viral on Chinese social media, public outrage grew rapidly. Many users questioned why the employees were still working and argued that they should be immediately terminated.
Social Media Questions Facial Recognition Security
Beyond calls for disciplinary action, online discussions also highlighted potential flaws in facial recognition technology, with users pointing out how easily printed masks fooled the system.
The case has reignited debate over the reliability of biometric systems — especially when used for government oversight and employee accountability.