Bac Ninh authorities dismantled a group of 23 foreigners involved in high-tech fraud.
Authorities in Bac Ninh province have recently discovered and arrested 23 individuals of Chinese and Malaysian nationality who were residing illegally in the area to commit fraud and embezzle property online.
The Bac Ninh Provincial Police have successfully dismantled a group of 23 foreign nationals (Chinese and Malaysian citizens) who were illegally residing in Bac Ninh province and engaging in online fraud and property theft at accommodation establishments in Vo Cuong and Kinh Bac wards.
Simultaneous deployment, seizure of a large quantity of electronic devices.
Through investigative work and intelligence gathering, authorities in Bac Ninh province discovered a group of foreigners suspected of engaging in high-tech crime. On May 12, 2026, operational units including the Immigration Management Department, the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department, the Security Investigation Department, the Mobile Police Department, and local police forces simultaneously inspected five accommodation establishments.
Specifically, police forces inspected houses number 218 and 225 in the Hud Trau Cau area (Vo Cuong ward, Bac Ninh province) and apartments 8C3, 9C2, and 14C2 in the Cat Tuong New apartment building (Kinh Bac ward, Bac Ninh province). At the scene, authorities discovered 23 foreigners residing there, along with evidence including 31 laptop computers, one desktop computer, and 48 mobile phones suspected of being used for illegal activities.
Sophisticated scams conducted through social media applications.
The results of the investigation and analysis of electronic data show that the individuals entering Vietnam did not use the purpose they declared when applying for visas. While there, this group used computers and phones with the HelloGPT application installed to simultaneously log into multiple Telegram, Zalo, and WhatsApp accounts.
The perpetrators created virtual groups to entice people to invest in stocks and trade USDT cryptocurrency on unofficial electronic exchanges. When victims deposited investment money, another group would technically interfere with the system to manipulate results and seize their assets.
Furthermore, this group also employed the tactic of recruiting collaborators to make online purchases for commission. Victims were lured into making transactions of progressively increasing value; once a large sum of money was accumulated, the perpetrators would lock the accounts and seize all the funds. Notably, some suspects confessed to being instructed to come to Vietnam to prepare for inviting customers to participate in illegal football betting during the 2026 World Cup.
Recommendation from the Bac Ninh Provincial Police
The case is currently being investigated and handled strictly by the authorities in Bac Ninh province in accordance with the law. The provincial police emphasized that financial fraud and illegal football betting not only cause harm to the people but also negatively impact the business environment and economic security.
To proactively prevent incidents, the Bac Ninh Provincial Police Department requests that accommodation establishments strictly comply with regulations on reporting temporary residence for foreigners. At the same time, citizens and businesses need to be vigilant about cases of rental properties exhibiting unusual activity, such as the installation of large numbers of computers and technological equipment. Upon detecting any suspicious signs, promptly notify the nearest police station for coordinated action, maintaining social order and safety in the locality.
