A Bank Successfully Blocks Hundreds of Money Transfer Scams This Year

Agribank reported that since the beginning of 2024, its officers and tellers have successfully prevented hundreds of high-tech crime incidents, helping to safeguard over 12 billion VND of customers’ assets.

The modus operandi of the perpetrators remains largely unchanged, with them mostly impersonating police officers, prosecutors, or court officials. They contact potential victims via phone or social media, threatening them with involvement in drug cases, kidnapping, money laundering, or claiming that their phone numbers have been used by criminals to spread anti-government propaganda. Once the victims are fearful, the perpetrators instruct them to go to the bank to register for an account and online banking services. They then ask for login credentials, OTP codes, and for victims to withdraw their savings or take out loans to transfer the money to the newly opened account. Ultimately, the perpetrators gain control of the account and transfer the funds to their own accounts.

Earlier this month, Agribank branches in Hai Phong city prevented three such scams, totaling nearly 800 million VND. The customers exhibited signs of anxiety and unease while requesting money transfers and were constantly urged to do so via Zalo calls.

On August 1, Ms. L, a resident of Vinh Lai, came to the Cao Xa Transaction Office of Agribank’s Lam Thao District branch in Phu Tho to withdraw 190 million VND from her savings. Her anxious and hurried behavior during the transaction raised red flags for the teller, who reported it to the branch’s management. The police were promptly notified, and they worked together to calm Ms. L down, explain the situation, and successfully safeguard her money.

According to Agribank, in these scams, victims are often told by the perpetrators impersonating police officers that they are under investigation for criminal activities. The scammers then coerce them into transferring money as part of the supposed investigation.

While the methods of these high-tech crimes remain largely unchanged, scammers employ various approaches to target victims, taking advantage of their lack of awareness, knowledge, and emotional vulnerability. For instance, in a recent case in Thanh Hoa, the scammer instructed the victim to go to the bank and pretend to be their mother during the transaction, warning them not to act suspiciously. Fortunately, the scam was thwarted, preventing a loss of nearly 600 million VND.

Law enforcement authorities emphasize that while this type of scam is not new, the tactics used by perpetrators are becoming increasingly sophisticated. They often target retired government officials with substantial savings, businesspeople, middle-aged individuals with grown-up children, and the elderly, especially those who are less likely to be aware of scam warnings. For instance, the Tan Yen District Police in Bac Giang and Agribank’s Tan Yen branch recently prevented an attempt to defraud an 86-year-old man of his savings.

Another common scam involves befriending people on Facebook and sending gifts from abroad, only to request that the recipient in Vietnam pay customs fees. Since the beginning of the year, Agribank has thwarted nearly 40 such incidents, involving almost 1 billion VND. These cases have occurred in various provinces and cities, including Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Tuyen Quang, Bac Giang, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City, and the scams continue to evolve and take on different forms.