An Giang provincial police said on October 13 that they had uncovered an organised group using fake websites and social media pages posing as five-star hotels and resorts in Phu Quoc to defraud people seeking accommodation.
The investigation began in April, when police discovered that the group had created multiple fraudulent online platforms to lure customers into paying deposits for room bookings that did not exist.
The suspects bought online advertisements and fake engagement to make their pages appear trustworthy. They also established shell companies and opened bank accounts in the companies’ names to gain victims’ confidence and persuade them to transfer money.
By posing as legitimate businesses and falsifying information online, the group made it difficult for customers to identify and verify the services on offer. After receiving payments, the suspects cut off contact and allegedly appropriated the money.
As the investigation expanded, police identified 17 of the 60 victims as having transferred a combined sum of billions of dong to an account registered to KOKOSA Company.
The group allegedly used other fraudulent schemes as well, including collecting tuition fees and selling insurance.
On July 10, investigators launched an operation and arrested four suspects.
To date, An Giang police have charged and arrested or temporarily detained 11 people, while continuing to investigate the roles of other individuals who may have been involved.
Investigators have also ordered 12 other people to be barred from leaving Vietnam and are examining 229 related bank accounts, through which more than VND 6 trillion (about USD 231 million) in transactions circulated.
Police said dismantling the network would help protect the lawful rights and interests of residents, tourists and businesses, while supporting a safe and healthy tourism environment on Phu Quoc.
