Drug addicts impersonate police officers to scam people out of money by promising to help them get out of jail.
Ly Thi Danh, a drug addict, impersonated a police officer from the district and threatened Ms. Po, saying that if she wanted her husband's sentence reduced, she had to transfer money to a bank account that Danh was using.
Accordingly, on August 5, 2024, the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Sin Ho District Police received a report from Ms. Lo Thi Po (born in 1980), residing in Noong Heo commune, Sin Ho district, regarding being defrauded of 6 million VND by an unknown individual who claimed to be a police officer.
Specifically, Ms. Pó's husband, Lò Văn Chựa (born in 1976), was prosecuted and detained by the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Sìn Hồ District Police for illegally possessing narcotics. On June 20th, Ms. Pó received a phone call from a stranger who identified himself as Trường - a police officer from Sìn Hồ District Police - saying that Mr. Chựa's sentence was very heavy and that if she wanted a reduced sentence for her husband, she had to send 10 million VND to an account they provided.
The perpetrator relentlessly pressured and even threatened Ms. Pó, demanding that she transfer the money immediately and forbidding her from disclosing this information to anyone. Hoping to mitigate her husband's sentence, Ms. Pó transferred 6 million VND to the account provided by the person claiming to be "Truong." However, after waiting for several days without receiving any response, Ms. Pó tried to contact him again, but he only gave vague answers and asked her to continue waiting. Suspecting she had been scammed, Ms. Pó went to the district police station to report the incident and file a crime.
Through investigative measures, the investigating agency quickly identified the fraudster as Ly Thi Danh (born in 2000), residing in Ban Lang commune, Phong Tho district. She is a drug addict who had been charged and detained by the Sin Ho District Police Investigation Agency since July 3rd for illegally possessing narcotics.
The suspect, Danh, confessed that knowing Ms. Po's husband had been arrested by the Sin Ho District Police for illegal possession of narcotics, she called Ms. Po, impersonating a police officer, to threaten her. She demanded that Ms. Po transfer money to Danh's bank account if she wanted her husband's sentence reduced. All the money Danh extorted was spent on personal expenses and drugs. Ly Thi Danh has been temporarily detained for further investigation and prosecution for fraud and misappropriation of property in accordance with the law.
