Scam Group Posing as Delivery Drivers Targeting Online Shoppers Busted

In Lang Son Province, Vietnam, authorities have busted a sophisticated scam group targeting online shoppers, arresting seven individuals and initiating an investigation into organized fraud. The arrested suspects, aged 20 to 25, include Nguyễn Văn Hậu, Cao Văn Đương, Trần Tiến Hoành, Cao Văn Dương, Trần Gia Thế, and Phạm Trang Nhung. According to investigators, Nguyễn Văn Hậu, identified as a ringleader, previously worked for foreign scam companies in Cambodia. Even after intensified crackdowns in Vietnam, he maintained contact with his former employers. Upon returning to Vietnam, Hậu was allegedly hired by foreign individuals to establish and operate a fraud ring. He was reportedly tasked with preparing the operational location, mobile phones, fake Facebook accounts, and customer data, as well as assigning duties, calculating profits, and distributing payments to group members. The group commenced its operations on August 5, securing rental properties, purchasing mobile phones, SIM cards, and bank accounts under false identities. They then gathered data of customers who had purchased goods online to carry out their fraudulent activities. The scam was meticulously structured into a "three-tier" system. In the first tier, the scammers, posing as delivery personnel, would falsely inform victims that their order payments had inadvertently registered them for a monthly service costing VND 4 million. When victims expressed concern and wished to cancel, the information was passed to the second tier. The second tier, impersonating warehouse staff, would further solidify the victim's trust and instruct them to contact the third tier. The third tier, posing as representatives of a major delivery corporation, would use fake Facebook accounts to message and call victims, guiding them to transfer money to a designated account. The defrauded funds were then distributed according to a pre-arranged agreement, after deducting operational costs and payments to the scammers at each tier. Hậu, as the organizer, reportedly received a 50% share of the profits. On the afternoon of August 28, authorities raided a stilt house in Hoan Trung village, Vu Le commune, discovering nine young individuals impersonating delivery staff to make fraudulent calls. Preliminary investigations indicate that from August 5 until their discovery, the group had defrauded victims of approximately VND 400 million (about $16,000 USD). In light of this case, the Lang Son Provincial Police urge the public to heighten their vigilance against calls impersonating delivery drivers, warehouse staff, or delivery companies. Citizens are advised not to transfer money, provide account information or OTP codes, or comply with unusual requests. In cases of suspicion, direct verification with the delivery company is recommended, and immediate reporting to law enforcement is encouraged for assistance. Source: VnExpress