Cao Thanh Hieu and Mai Van Quoc. (Source: Da Nang Police)
On September 17, the Criminal Police Department of Da Nang Police announced that they had coordinated with Quang Tri Provincial Police to issue an emergency arrest warrant for Cao Van Hieu (DOB: 1996) and Mai Thanh Quoc (DOB: 1998, both residing in Trieu Phong District, Quang Tri Province) for fraud and appropriation of property.
Previously, on September 13, the Criminal Police Department of Da Nang Police received a report from a citizen who had been scammed by an imposter pretending to be their relative living abroad. The victim was contacted through social media and asked to contribute money for investment purposes, ultimately losing VND 750 million.
Through investigation, the Da Nang Police identified the perpetrators hiding in Trieu Phong District, Quang Tri Province. At midnight on September 17, the police force raided and apprehended the two suspects, Cao Van Hieu and Mai Thanh Quoc, confiscating numerous pieces of evidence related to their criminal activities.
During the initial interrogation, Hieu and Quoc confessed to their crimes. They admitted to hacking Facebook accounts of Vietnamese citizens living abroad and using those accounts to contact their relatives in Vietnam. They would then entice these relatives to invest in stocks, cryptocurrencies, and other fraudulent schemes. The perpetrators used gaming accounts to launder the stolen money, making it difficult to trace the funds.
The police have determined that since the beginning of 2024, the group led by Hieu and Quoc has hacked more than 1,000 Facebook accounts and defrauded over 500 victims nationwide, amassing a total of VND 10 billion.
The Criminal Police Department of Da Nang Police is continuing their investigation, tracking down accomplices, freezing bank accounts, and working to return the stolen funds to the victims.
