Two Malaysians arrested for fake credit card scam

HA NOI – Two Malaysians Ling Seng Koey and Chong Kon Hoi were arrested for using fake international credit cards in the central port city of Da Nang on Sunday.

Le Ngo My Hanh, part owner of the World of Diamond shop in the city's Hai Chau District, said Koey visited her shop and bought gold jewelry worth VND53 million (US$2,500) on his credit card. The transaction was accepted by banking card reader.

Hanh said that when Koey left the shop, a staff member from the shop's branch in Thanh Khe District phoned Hanh to warn her about the fake card. He reported that a Malaysian man had used a credit card to buy jewelry at his shop on the same day. The transaction was accepted but several minutes later Viet Nam Commercial Bank staff discovered that the man was using a fake card.

Hanh and her staff immediately shouted for help. Koey and his two accomplices run away in different directions. Koey and Hoi were arrested while one accomplice escaped.

Police reported that seven shops in the city have been swindled by the three Malaysians using fake credit cards. The group were estimated to have scammed companies out of a total of nearly VND200 million ($9,600).

The case is under investigation.

In April, Malaysian Lee Lih Cheng was sentenced to two years in prison for transporting fake credit cards and other documents by the People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City.

Cheng was arrested at Tan Son Nhat Airport where police and customs officers discovered 50 credit cards and two passports in her luggage - all of these cards and documents were forgeries.

Lee was going to use the fake cards to buy electronics equipment in Viet Nam . -- VNS