Urgent warning about sophisticated scams taking advantage of Buddhists' trust that are on the rise
Ha Nam Province Police have issued a warning about a new form of fraud on social networks. The subjects are taking advantage of people's trust in religion to call for donations to overcome the consequences of the fire at Phat Quang Pagoda.
Specifically, these subjects created fake fanpages named "Phat Quang Pagoda" with an address in Du Nhan village, Thanh Phong commune, Thanh Liem district, Ha Nam province, then posted information calling on Buddhists across the country to contribute financially to support the restoration of the pagoda that burned down on January 20, 2024.
They instructed to transfer money to a bank account named TRAN THANH TRUC, account number 0110699914, at VIKKI Bank, which is actually Dong A Bank.
Authorities checking the activity history showed that these fanpages had changed their names many times and frequently used paid advertising to increase their reach.
The content mainly revolves around charity appeals to create trust and make social media users transfer money. Ha Nam Provincial Police determined that this is a fake act aimed at appropriating property.
Not only in Ha Nam, similar forms also appeared in Bac Giang. After the fire at Ve village pagoda, Tho Xuong ward, Bac Giang city on February 10, some individuals impersonated the abbot, posted photos of the fire scene with a call for donations for restoration.
These pages quickly attracted attention and called for money transfers to personal accounts. A typical fanpage is "13 Hanh Dau Da", which posted a post calling for the repair of Ve village pagoda, providing the account number Nguyen Thanh Luan, account number 19074094467017.
Using real photos and impersonating reputable people in the religious community has made many people trust and send money.
The abbot of Ve village pagoda affirmed that the pagoda does not use social media and does not solicit donations online. Bac Giang provincial police warned the community, especially Buddhist followers and officials, to be vigilant against fake content on social media.
When detecting unusual signs related to donations, people should immediately report to the nearest police agency for timely handling.
