Many people fell into the trap.

Although not a new tactic, with attractive offers and promises of "easy work, high pay," scammers still successfully manipulate the psychology of some people, causing them to fall into their trap, especially those who are looking for jobs, are vulnerable, facing financial difficulties, and young people who aspire to success and hope for a better life.

Recently, the police in Cau Giat town, Quynh Luu district, handed over two children, H'Nu B (born in 2011) and H'Cat B (born in 2013), both residing in Blung 1A hamlet, Thong Nhat ward, Buon Ho town, Dak Lak province, to their family and local authorities. Previously, at around 11 PM on March 4th, a patrol team from the Cau Giat town police discovered the two girls standing by the roadside in a state of panic, anxiety, and emotional instability. They quickly approached, reassured the children, and brought them to the police station.

According to their statements, H'Nữ B and H'Cát B followed the advice of an acquaintance on social media who invited them to go to the North for "easy work with high pay." This person instructed them to hide from their families and take a bus from Dak Lak to Hanoi. Enticed by the person's promises, on the evening of March 3rd, the two girls ran away from home and took a bus to Hanoi.

By the evening of March 4th, upon reaching Cau Giat town (Quynh Luu district), the two girls learned through social media that their family was searching for them. Fearing they might be tricked and sold abroad, they proactively contacted their parents. Upon receiving the news, their relatives guided them off the bus and informed them of the location where they could be picked up. By this time, H'Nu B and H'Cat B had traveled over 1,000km. Therefore, upon getting off the bus, they were disoriented and panicked.

The Cau Giat town police contacted the Thong Nhat ward police in Buon Ho town, Dak Lak province, to verify the incident. After exchanging information, the Cau Giat town police arranged accommodation and emotional support for the children. On March 5th, the Cau Giat town police handed over the two children to the Thong Nhat ward police and representatives from Blung 1A village.

According to authorities, not only are there scams within the country, but recently, in some provinces and cities, including Nghe An, due to their naivety and gullibility, some people have been lured and deceived by unscrupulous individuals into working in special economic zones or fraudulent online companies across the border owned by foreigners, where they are forced and exploited for their labor.

Authorities in Nghe An province have discovered and arrested many criminals and rescued many victims. For example, in 2024, police discovered Vi Van Nhap (born in 1983), residing in Chau Binh commune, Quy Chau district, who was regularly searching for citizens in mountainous districts, including Quy Chau district, to illegally transport them abroad for work.

Through surveillance and verification, the police determined that Nhap was an important "link" in a human trafficking ring that smuggled people to the Golden Triangle economic zones for illegal work, led by Pham Thi Tuyet Chinh (born in 1988), residing in Giao Tien commune, Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province.

Accordingly, because she lived and married across the border at a young age, Chinh knew many "employers" who needed workers to bring into special economic zones to facilitate transnational fraud. Therefore, she connected with individuals living in many provinces and cities across the country to find and lure gullible people, then sell them to special economic zones in border areas. Chinh even returned to Vietnam several times to find "victims."

During the investigation to dismantle this trafficking ring, the police received a report from a man who was a victim of the trafficking ring, having been tricked and sold across the border by Vi Van Nhap and Pham Thi Tuyet Chinh. After escaping from the special economic zone and trying to return to Vietnam, the man had to use a styrofoam raft to swim for more than eight days and nights along the Mekong River. During the journey, he had to beg for food and sleep in makeshift shelters along the river, and was fortunate to receive help from Vietnamese people working in Laos to return to Vietnam.

On August 7, 2024, authorities received information that Pham Thi Tuyet Chinh had returned to Vietnam by land through the Lao Cai International Border Gate. Immediately, a task force traveled from Nghe An to Lao Cai to verify and monitor the suspect's movements. At 4 PM on August 8, 2024, in Bat Xat town, Bat Xat district, Lao Cai province, authorities from Nghe An province, in coordination with relevant units, successfully cracked the case, arresting Pham Thi Tuyet Chinh for "human trafficking" and seizing numerous related documents. At the same time, in Quy Chau district, another task force successfully arrested Vi Van Nhap for "human trafficking".

According to the Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security, previously, human trafficking rings mainly sent victims to China, but now they have shifted to Laos, Cambodia, or even further to third countries. A typical example is the case of Le Bao Tin (born in 1994), residing in Con Cuong district. While participating in online scams for a Chinese-owned company in Laos with a friend, Tin learned that if he could bring Vietnamese people to work in Laos, the Chinese boss would pay him 35 million VND per person. He then contacted his hometown and persuaded many people to go.

To lure the victims, Tin provided information about going to Laos to "work online," with a salary of 17 million VND per month. Among the 10 victims, some were just over 15 years old at the time they were sold to Laos.

Some Vietnamese individuals in Vietnam collude with Vietnamese individuals abroad to seek out and entice victims to leave the country with promises of "easy work and high pay" through methods such as viewing photos, recruiting victims via social media, etc., and then instructing them to leave the country by air.

Abroad, victims are forced into jobs such as participating in online fraud schemes, working in casinos owned by foreigners; if they want to return home, they must pay a large ransom. Women are also forced into illegal marriages and prostitution.

Increase vigilance.

Given this situation, authorities advise people to be wary of promises of high income or easy jobs that don't require qualifications. They should also verify information from official sources and not trust announcements or information channels that are unclear.

When seeking overseas employment, go directly to your local job placement center for specific guidance. Avoid searching for jobs on social media and do not be swayed by enticing offers of overseas work to avoid falling into the traps of scammers. Be wary of websites advertising overseas work that show signs of fraud, such as job descriptions that are simple, easy, require no skills or qualifications, and offer attractive high salaries and bonuses – "easy work, high pay."

The Ministry of Public Security's online portal (bocongan.gov.vn) also advises people to be vigilant against job postings, offers, attractive salaries, and free travel expenses from individuals on social media. This is especially important for offers and enticements to work in Laos, Cambodia, and other similar countries.

All citizens traveling abroad must comply with the State's regulations on entry and exit. Any act of illegal entry or exit, or organizing illegal entry or exit for others, will be severely punished according to Articles 347, 348, and 349 of the Penal Code.

Before deciding to accept a job offer, especially overseas, people need to thoroughly research the location and place where they intend to work, the characteristics and personal information of the person introducing them and accompanying them to work there. They should also seek advice from others and provide information to family and relatives about the workplace, the job, and the person accompanying them before deciding to leave the country.

If you suspect you have been scammed, you should immediately report it to the authorities for assistance, resolution, and timely prevention.