Trương Văn Thọ (left) at the police office in Lâm Đồng Province.—VNA/VNS Photo

LÂM ĐỒNG — Police in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng have initiated criminal proceedings against two suspects allegedly involved in an international fraud scheme that targeted Vietnamese nationals living abroad.

Charges have been filed against Trần Phước Vĩnh, 25, and Trương Văn Thọ, 24, both temporarily residing in Ward 8 in the province's Đà Lạt City.

The duo are accused of committing online fraud to take the assets of overseas Vietnamese.

Preliminary investigations revealed that since May, Vĩnh and Thọ created multiple fake Facebook accounts using altered personal information and images to impersonate Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MB Bank) employees.

They allegedly used the accounts to promote purported loan services.

Notably, their online advertisements were specifically targeted at Vietnamese communities residing in the United States and Australia, groups perceived as having limited access to formal financial services in their host countries.

The suspects are accused of operating at least four counterfeit Facebook pages, including 'Tài chính tiêu dùng quốc tế 24/7', 'Hỗ trợ tài chính quốc tế', 'Vay tiêu dùng 24/7' and 'Vay vốn quốc tế 24/7'.

When individuals expressed interest by submitting their contact information, the suspects allegedly posed as bank staff, offering loan consultations and instructing victims to transfer so-called 'loan insurance fees', 'tax declaration fees' or 'first month’s principal and interest' to intermediary bank accounts.

Once the money was received, the suspects severed all contact, authorities said.

Using these tactics, the two suspects are believed to have defrauded victims of approximately VNĐ1 billion (nearly US$40,000) within a single month, according to police.

The majority of alleged victims were overseas Vietnamese living in Australia and the United States, with many filing complaints through consular channels and social media platforms.

In early June, police arrested the two suspects and searched their residence. Authorities seized multiple electronic devices allegedly used to carry out the scam.

Investigators noted that Vĩnh had a prior conviction for cyber fraud, having used computer networks and telecommunications systems to misappropriate assets in Đắk Nông Province in 2021. 

He had only recently completed his prison sentence and was released earlier this year.

By May, Vĩnh had relocated to Đà Lạt City, where he rented a private house in Ward 8 to allegedly carry out the fraudulent operation.

Lâm Đồng police are now working closely with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Australian Consulate-General in HCM City and relevant international agencies to expand the investigation.

Authorities are currently identifying additional victims, tracing financial transactions and investigating whether other individuals were involved.

The police have issued a warning to the public in Việt Nam and abroad, urging people not to trust online loan advertisements, especially those originating from unverified personal accounts or unofficial fan pages.

Anyone encountering suspected fraudulent activity is advised to report it immediately to the nearest police station or contact the cybercrime and high-tech crime prevention hotline. — VNS