Regarding a recent crackdown, nearly 60 suspects involved in a scam that affected nearly 1,000 victims have been apprehended. This operation targeted over 13,000 individuals across the country. The initial investigation by the Security Agency and the Bac Ninh Provincial Police has confirmed the involvement of 42 suspects in the scam, with 38 of them facing temporary detention for fraud and property misappropriation. Authorities are continuing to expand their investigation into other criminal activities, including: money laundering and organizing for others to commit crimes, as well as dealing with illegal foreign currency exchange and tracking down all related suspects.
This group of suspects operated in the Tam Thai Tu area, Ba Vet City, Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia, including officials from local police, district police, tax officials, electricity officials, and education officials who were involved in updating information related to the victims, submitting registration forms online, investigating violations, and collecting taxes, thereby misappropriating funds and misusing bank accounts of the victims.
To create a closed circle for their operations, the suspects were divided into three groups: Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3, with specific roles assigned to each group.
According to the newspaper Tuoi Tre, suspect Do Van Nghia (25 years old, from Bac Giang) revealed that Group 1 would contact local police to update information about the victims.
Subsequently, Group 2 tasked citizens with accessing specific links containing fake registration forms to misappropriate funds under the guise of bank account registration.
Next, Group 3 would collaborate with Group 2 to withdraw money from the citizens’ accounts.
As one of the key figures in the scam network, Phạm Thị Huyền Trang has drawn significant attention and criticism due to her young age of only 26, but she held a high-ranking position with notable capabilities in manipulation, smooth talk, and intelligence. Trang was responsible for training the lower groups in the scam, including Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3.
VTV reported immediately after her arrest that suspect Phạm Thị Huyền Trang stated in an interview: “After joining the company, I realized the way to manipulate people was simple. I would rewrite the documents according to the instructions, and I would help them to steal… The scam had many intricate details aligned with the mindset of the citizens.”
Currently, the investigation is actively being conducted by the relevant authorities to clarify the details.
