Beware of scams involving impersonation of firefighters and police officers to steal property.

Fire and Rescue Police Team No. 4 (based in Hoang Mai Town) received a phone call from Mr. T - the director of a transportation and tourism company in Yen Thanh District - inquiring about opening a training course with materials sent via postal service and payment collected upon delivery.

Previously, on October 24, 2019, Mr. T received a phone call from someone who introduced himself as an officer from the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department. He said that a fire prevention training course would be held for the company in the near future and requested that the company purchase training materials in advance, with payment to be made via postal service.

Initially, without any suspicion, Mr. T - the company director - provided the company's address and workplace information; however, after reconsidering, the director called the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Team to inquire about the matter.

A set of forged documents bearing a fake address from the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department of Nghe An Province Police were sent via mail to a company. Photo: Duc Vu

The following day, when the postal worker delivered a package containing fire safety documents and 450,000 VND, the company director refused to accept it and returned it.

In 2018, using the same tactic, several agencies, organizations, and businesses in Vinh City, Yen Thanh, Thanh Chuong, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu, etc., transferred money to the perpetrators to purchase the Fire Prevention and Fighting Law and training materials on fire prevention and fighting at prices 5 to 7 times higher than the actual cost.

The aforementioned acts of fraud and misappropriation of property have seriously affected the reputation of the Nghe An Provincial Police in general, and the Nghe An Fire and Rescue Police force in particular.

On October 28, 2019, the Nghe An Provincial Police issued Notice No. 3758/CAT-PV07-PC01 to police units and localities regarding the situation of individuals impersonating Nghe An Provincial Fire and Rescue Police officers, making phone calls to owners of establishments under fire safety management, especially businesses selling gasoline, oil, gas, accommodation, agencies, schools, pharmacies, etc., to raise issues related to fire safety in order to defraud and extort money from these business owners.

The perpetrators' modus operandi involves offering to handle all aspects of fire safety approval and acceptance procedures; they also request that agencies, organizations, and businesses purchase the Fire Safety Law and training materials at prices many times higher than the actual cost. The perpetrators do not meet in person but conduct transactions only via telephone and postal services.

The head of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department of Nghe An province affirmed: The unit does not solicit or call to announce the opening of fire prevention and rescue training courses via telephone; in particular, it does not accept money in advance via bank transfer or collect money through the post office to distribute materials. Therefore, units, businesses, and people need to be vigilant and alert to avoid being deceived.

In the announcement, the Provincial Police Department directed the Criminal Police Department and the police forces of districts, cities, and towns to strengthen their efforts in monitoring the situation and promptly detecting individuals who exploit legal regulations on fire prevention and control or impersonate fire prevention and control police officers to defraud and seize property, in order to initiate investigations, arrest, and strictly prosecute them according to the law.