The Gia Lai Provincial Police announced that they have successfully dismantled a cybercrime ring that exploited the internet to commit fraud and misappropriate assets. The ring consisted of dozens of individuals, both domestic and international, who collaborated through the use of traps involving receiving gifts, foreign currency, and documents sent from abroad to Vietnam.
Prior to this, on November 20, based on a report filed by Ms. H.T.S (residing in Thang Loi Ward, Pleiku City, Gia Lai), which accused individuals who exploited the internet to commit fraud and misappropriate over 18 billion Vietnamese dong, the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department, in coordination with other investigative units of the Gia Lai Provincial Police, led the investigation. Dozens of officers were dispatched to Ho Chi Minh City, Ben Tre, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and other locations to gather information and verify evidence related to the criminal activities.
Based on the collected evidence, the Task Force decided to crack the case and conducted urgent searches of multiple locations, resulting in the seizure of two laptops, 14 mobile phones, over 130 million Vietnamese dong in cash, the closure of over 40 bank accounts, and the confiscation of multiple mobile phone SIM cards, bank account cards, and other relevant items and documents.
As a result, the Gia Lai Provincial Police have identified the individuals responsible for committing the fraud and misappropriating over 18 billion Vietnamese dong from the victim in Gia Lai. Two suspects have been arrested and charged, one of whom is a foreign national, with the crimes of “fraudulent misappropriation of assets” and “illegal collection, storage, exchange, purchase, or sale, or unauthorized public disclosure of information about bank accounts”.
Evidence of the case. (Source: Gia Lai Provincial Police)
According to the Gia Lai Provincial Police, the suspects utilized various social media platforms, posting fake images and articles pretending to be doctors, businessmen, and foreign engineers. They would then befriend and engage in romantic conversations with their victims, expressing their difficulties in working in disadvantaged areas or war zones and claiming to possess a large amount of foreign currency and expensive jewelry that required trustworthy individuals to hold and assist with processing the necessary paperwork for the suspects to relocate to Vietnam.
After gaining the trust of their victims, other suspects would pretend to be international freight company employees, airport staff, customs officers, or police officers and request the victims to send various fees, taxes, fines, or even personal loans in order to receive packages containing large amounts of foreign currency and documents sent from abroad. Through these tactics, the group was able to defraud victims nationwide, misappropriating nearly 100 billion Vietnamese dong.
The Task Force is currently summoning and questioning other individuals involved, in order to strengthen the case with additional evidence and proceed with legal actions in accordance with the law.
