Vietnam Police Prosecute 39 Suspects in Fake Police Scam Targeting Nearly 400 Victims

(Vietnam Insider) – Authorities in Cao Bằng Province have dismantled a major transnational cybercrime ring that defrauded nearly 400 Vietnamese citizens of more than VND 160 billion (about USD 6.3 million).

According to police, since February, the group established a “ghost company” in Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia, operating near the Bavet–Mộc Bài border gate. The gang, led by foreign nationals, impersonated Vietnamese police officers to trick victims into installing a fake version of the VNeID app. The malicious app contained spyware that allowed the criminals to take control of victims’ phones, siphon money from their bank accounts, and even liquidate their stock portfolios.

After months of investigation under Case 325L, police identified the group’s structure and methods. A coordinated operation was launched to summon the suspects back to Vietnam from multiple provinces and cities.

So far, the Cao Bằng Provincial Police have prosecuted 39 individuals on charges of “using computer networks, telecommunications networks, and electronic means to appropriate property.”

Authorities confirmed that the arrests were carried out simultaneously, swiftly, and with absolute safety. The case remains under further investigation.

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Source: Vietnam Insider