QUẢNG NAM — The People’s Committee of the central province of Quảng Nam is investigating a forged document circulating on social media that purported to show the provincial chairman’s signature on a form approving hotel, resort and recreational projects in the city of Hội An’s Cẩm Nam Ward.

The provincial office confirmed on Monday that Document No 2153/UBND-TP, which claims to have been signed on January 3, 2018, was fake.

It said the province did not have records of any such document, and that an investigation had been opened to find out who was behind the fake document and forged signature.

According to the People’s Committee office, the content of the document focused on the approval of five luxury hotel projects and a complex of casino and recreational centres in Cẩm Nam Ward.

Vice chairman of the Hội An People’s Committee Nguyễn Văn Sơn said the document did not originate from the provincial office and the city has not proposed any investment projects in the area.

Sơn said the fake document, which was posted on social networks early last month, had caused land price booms.

In an announcement last week, the province asked for a temporary ban on property transactions at three projects of Bách Đạt Corporation – Bách Đạt Expand, Hera Complex Riverside and Điện Nam-Điện Ngọc New Urban Area – for an investigation on illegal property contracts.

Most property transactions in the province were land plots where infrastructure is not available, and buyers often believed rumours of new investment projects.

Land prices in Điện Nam-Điện Ngọc had risen 300 per cent with the price of a square metre increasing from VNĐ5 million (US$221) in 2018 to VNĐ18 million ($796) in 2019.

Last year, a fake document was also posted on social networks claiming to show the approval of the construction of a bridge connecting Đà Nẵng with two urban areas in Cẩm Lệ District.

In a similar incident, the People’s Committee of Hòa Vang District has warned people of recent illegal real estate transactions.

Land prices in the district shot up from VNĐ700 million ($31,000) for a 200sq.m land plot to VNĐ1.5 billion ($66,300) over the course of one month following rumours there would be a series of huge investment projects.

Vice chairman of the district Đặng Phú Hành said local people should be aware of rumours from brokers and speculators that cause booming land prices.

In Hòa Liên Commune, prices ballooned from VNĐ800 million ($35,400) for a 100sq.m plot to VNĐ1.6 billion ($70,800).

According to the city’s property association, land prices in urban projects start from VNĐ10 million ($442) to VNĐ15 million ($663.7) per square metre – a 30 per cent increase in 2018 – while apartment prices were fixed from VNĐ32 million ($1,400) to VNĐ80 million ($3,500) per square metre.

The association suggested buyers and investors come to legal property transaction centres rather than pouring money into undeveloped projects based on rumours. — VNS