On December 29th, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Police Department announced that the Investigative Police Agency had initiated legal proceedings, pressing charges against 35 individuals involved in a sophisticated scam operation. Among those arrested were several chairpersons and directors of fraudulent companies, all charged with “Fraud to Appropriate Property.”
35 suspects from a nationwide scam network have been charged and detained. Photo: Thanh Hoa Police
Prior to this, the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department, in collaboration with the Criminal Police Department of Thanh Hoa Provincial Police, identified a large-scale scam network operating across the country through monitoring online activities.
The suspects leased premises at Room 503, K300 Office Building, located at 51 Thép Mới Street, Ward 7, Ho Chi Minh City, as their base of operations.
Upon investigation, authorities uncovered a highly organized criminal network operating under a corporate structure. The perpetrators established multiple fraudulent companies, complete with designated directors, managers, and employees, and leased offices in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces.
Each “company” typically employed between 10 to 50 individuals, assigned specific roles akin to those in legitimate businesses: telemarketing, sales closing, accounting and finance, and customer data management.
Company chairpersons and directors, including Phạm Nhất Duy, Nguyễn Doanh Thương, and Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhàn (from left to right), along with seized evidence. Photo: Thanh Hoa Police
To execute their fraudulent scheme, the masterminds devised elaborate scenarios, managed victim information, tracked revenue, and coordinated the flow of illicit funds. To maintain a facade of legitimacy and conceal their criminal activities, they contracted with technology companies to lease landline numbers or internet-based calling software like Zoiper, installed on laptops.
These fraudulent calls, disguised as notifications from reputable businesses, shopping centers, or e-commerce platforms, made it challenging for recipients to discern their authenticity, leading many to fall victim to the scam.
With sufficient evidence, on October 23rd, the Investigative Police Agency of Thanh Hoa Provincial Police filed charges against nine individuals for “Fraud to Appropriate Property.” The accused include: Phạm Nhất Duy (born in 1999, the mastermind); Nguyễn Văn Tùng (born in 1995); Đinh Thị Thế Mỹ (born in 2005); Nguyễn Minh Trung (born in 2002); Huỳnh Vũ Trường Giang (born in 2001, residing in Ho Chi Minh City); Nguyễn Hồ Hữu Nhân (born in 2001); Nguyễn Thị Anh Thư (born in 2004, residing in Ca Mau Province); Bùi Thế Thành Nhân (born in 1999, residing in Gia Lai Province); and Nguyễn Đức Hùng (born in 1996, residing in Thanh Hoa Province).
Police seized various tools and equipment used in the commission of the crimes. Photo: Thanh Hoa Police
As the investigation expanded, Thanh Hoa Provincial Police summoned and interrogated 31 additional suspects from three fraudulent companies, including several chairpersons and directors, operating under the same modus operandi. During emergency searches of the suspects’ residences and workplaces, authorities confiscated numerous tools and equipment used in the scams.
Preliminary investigation results reveal that from January 2024 to December 2025, these criminal groups defrauded 1,000 victims nationwide, embezzling hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong.
The Investigative Police Agency of Thanh Hoa Provincial Police is currently expanding the investigation.
Temporary Detention of Ngo Quang Son
Ngo Quang Son (born in 1982, residing in Tich Luong Ward, Thai Nguyen Province) has been identified as the mastermind and leader of the operation. He is responsible for devising the plan, designing the fraudulent system, and assigning roles to other members of the network.
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