HÀ NỘI –  The Ministry of Public Security (MoPS) on Wednesday arrested Nguyễn  Xuân Long for allegedly spreading rumours on social networks that Việt Nam would replace its current banknotes with new ones, the Vietnamplus reported.

Long, 34, living at Đồng Nai Province’s Biên Hòa City, has used the nickname Mr Duck on his Facebook fanpage Vịt Bầu to post false information involved in replacing the current banknotes, images of new banknotes and claimed that the new banknotes would be printed in China then moved to Việt Nam.

At the police office, Long allegedly admited that his actions violated law and had a bad influence on society.

The MoPS investigators said the spread of false information had the wrong intention to cause a negative impact on Việt Nam’s economy and investment environment, strongly affected the nation’s macro stability.

According to the ministry, the false information on replacing banknote started appearing on some social network websites since late October, but fanpage Vịt Bầu repeatedly fabricated information regarding Việt Nam’s banknote change, and urged people to withdraw money from banks to buy gold and foreign currency, together with defamatory and government-against comments.

After an investigation process, police have identified Facebook fanpage Vịt Bầu with three administrators, including Nguyễn Xuân Long.

Long alledgedly confessed that Facebook fanpage was set up and firstly administrated by Nguyễn Hằng, a Vietnamese woman living in the US since 2015.

Last September, Long began joining administration to write, edit from other websites and upload stories and image on the Vịt Bầu fanpage. He used Facebook account Phong Tuấn and nickname Mr Duck to upload average 10 stories a day on the fanpage. Immediately, the Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Việt Nam Đào Minh Tú rejected the news, saying rumours of an upcoming demonetisation process by the Vietnamese central bank are false and groundless.

He called on people to be alert against false information as it could affect national monetary security, at a time when the country is enjoying stable economic conditions.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc directed the MoPS to trace the person who spread the false information of banknote change.

Further investigation is underway to find out other participants in the spread of false information on banknote change. — VNS