On June 26, Ninh Binh Provincial Police said they had coordinated with police forces in several provinces and cities to summon, search and arrest 12 suspects linked to the cross-border fraud ring.
Preliminary investigations found that the group carried out hundreds of scams, defrauding victims of more than VND 250 billion (approximately USD 9.6 million).
The suspects and evidence in the case (Photo: Ninh Binh Police).
Investigators identified Nguyen Van Cuong, born in 1998, from Yen Phong Commune, Bac Ninh Province, and Nguyen Van Phuong, born in 1992, from Yen Trung Commune, Bac Ninh Province, as the alleged leaders of the network.
According to police, the suspects recruited Vietnamese nationals and transported them to Cambodia, where they operated organised online fraud schemes with clearly assigned roles and responsibilities.
The group allegedly used a wide range of sophisticated tactics, impersonating police officers, prosecutors, court officials, bank employees and tax authorities. They also created fake websites and mobile applications designed to resemble those of government agencies and businesses in order to gain victims' trust.
Nguyen Van Cuong at the police station (Photo: Ninh Binh Police).
Investigators said the network employed multiple fraud schemes, including fake online recruitment for remote jobs, investment scams involving financial products, shares and cryptocurrencies, romance scams, and hijacking social media accounts to borrow money from victims' contacts.
In one of the more elaborate schemes, suspects allegedly posed as military officers and other members of the armed forces to place large orders with businesses. They then persuaded victims to purchase additional goods on their behalf and transfer deposits or advance payments into bank accounts controlled by the fraud ring.
Police said the suspects admitted that, since October 2024, they had targeted around 500 victims across Vietnam, stealing more than VND 250 billion (approximately USD 9.6 million).
Based on the evidence collected, investigators have formally charged the case, prosecuted and detained six suspects on charges of fraud and appropriation of property. Procedural measures have also been imposed on the remaining six suspects as the investigation continues.
Ninh Binh Provincial Police said the investigation remains ongoing and that officers are working to identify and apprehend additional suspects connected to the network.