Tracing the subject of fraudulently selling imported cars on the Internet

Through professional work, detectives of the Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department of Tay Ninh Provincial Police discovered many Facebook social network accounts posting information about selling imported motorbikes through Moc Bai International Border Gate, Ben Cau District (Tay Ninh) at cheap prices. The advertised price of each imported motorbike is only 20% to 40% of the actual value of the motorbike and is accompanied by a phone number for those interested in buying the motorbike to contact.

To buy a car, the customer must transfer a deposit of 20% of the car's value to the subject, the rest will be paid upon receiving the car. To lure the "prey", on the day of receiving the car, the subject will inform the buyer that the car has arrived in the locality, along with pictures, videos, vehicle invoices and the location of the car to ask the victim to pay the remaining amount. After receiving the money, the subject will cut off all communication and appropriate the victim's money.

Detectives determined that the above Facebook accounts were scams. In Tay Ninh province, initially, 3 victims were identified who had their property stolen by the scammer. The victims were very upset because the scammer used a fake name on their social media accounts, and after stealing their property, blocked their social media accounts. The phone also used a junk SIM card, the victims had no information, did not know where the scammer lived, and could not find him to reclaim the stolen money.

After many days of persistent struggle, searching for traces on Facebook, the detectives identified the subject as Tran Thanh Vi, living in My An ward, Ngu Hanh Son district, Da Nang city. Vi used many different names, fake images, and fake locations to trick the victims into believing that the subject was living near Moc Bai International Border Gate, from which they believed that Vi was selling cheap imported cars.

On December 18, the Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department of Tay Ninh Provincial Police coordinated with Go Dau District Police (Tay Ninh) and professional units of Da Nang City Police to arrest Vi in My An Ward. The police seized evidence, including: 3 mobile phones, 9 bank cards of various types, 2 tablets, 1 laptop, more than 9 million VND...

Vi confessed that from the beginning of 2020 until the time of his arrest, he went on Facebook and YouTube to learn about buying and selling cheap imported motorbikes; looking to buy 5 ATM cards, many activated phone SIM cards under the names of many other people. Vi went on the Internet to search and download images of motorbikes being packed or stored in warehouses. After that, Vi created many Facebook accounts with different names, posting images of expensive motorbikes, such as: SH150i; Raider, Wave Thai; Vario 150...

Vi posted the advertisement with the content: "Selling cheap motorbikes, including papers, with prices from 5,000,000 VND to 25,000,000 VND" and provided a phone number for buyers to contact. When someone called or texted via the Messenger app to ask to buy the motorbike, Vi asked the buyer to deposit 10% (lowest 2 million VND, highest 30 million VND) of the motorbike's value. To gain the buyer's trust, Vi asked the victim to take a photo of their ID card and send it via Zalo or Messenger to make the papers and license plate.

In fact, Vi forged the vehicle registration certificate and motorcycle license plate online, then sent it to the victim to gain trust, in order to appropriate the remaining amount. After receiving the agreed amount from the buyer, Vi blocked communication. With the above method, Vi defrauded and appropriated from a series of victims across the country, with a total amount of about 700,000,000 VND.