Nghe An: Selling overpriced dietary supplements under the guise of 'charity'

From the lowlands…

Recently, in rural areas of Nghi Loc district, a group of people dressed in expensive clothes have been infiltrating community centers, using the guise of consulting and introducing products to sell dietary supplements at very high prices. To attract people to these consultation sessions, this group even sends invitations directly to individual households, mostly members of the elderly association. The invitations state that these are programs for "socializing, giving gifts, and health care." All attendees are promised a gift worth 120,000 VND. As a result, these consultation sessions have attracted a large number of people.

Sending invitations to relatives and friends to encourage them to attend the product launch event. Photo: Tuyen Tran

One day at the end of March, at the Thọ Sơn hamlet cultural center (Nghi Vạn commune, Nghi Lộc district), two people introduced themselves as employees of Asia International Production & Trading Co., Ltd. After a large crowd of people gathered, these individuals continuously showed videos, images, and explanations about the "miraculous effects" of their products. Most of the products had exaggerated effects, confidently claiming they could "cure" illnesses, leading many people to mistakenly believe they were medicine.

Meanwhile, according to our investigation, this company is located in a remote rural area at Hamlet 4, Bung Co Village, Loc An Commune, Long Thanh District, Dong Nai Province. The company was only licensed to operate a year ago and deals in functional foods and nutritional supplements. However, company employees are advertising that "functional foods have the same effects as medicine." According to current regulations, this is a prohibited practice.

The man repeatedly advertised the miraculous effects of dietary supplements. Photo: Tuyen Tran

Sharing with reporters, Ms. Tran Thi C. (72 years old, Nghi Van commune) said that she still regrets the money she spent on these products. After hearing the advertisement, she decided to spend 1.5 million VND to buy 3 boxes of "SURE PRO dietary supplement". "When we bought these 3 boxes for 1.5 million VND, they gave us 3 more boxes and a bottle of massage oil as a gift, and promised to return in 20 days to refund the entire 1.5 million VND I paid. But I've waited for over a month now and they haven't come back. I don't even dare open these boxes to drink because my children and grandchildren have advised against it," Ms. C. said. After accessing the dietary supplement products that the residents had purchased, the reporter scanned the barcode printed on the product and searched online, but the results showed that this product could not be found.

Not only in Nghi Van, but in all 33/33 communes and towns of Nghi Loc district, this group visited and exploited the gift-giving program to sell products.

Mr. Phan Cong Van, Chairman of the Nghi Van Commune People's Committee, said that after receiving feedback from residents, the authorities immediately ordered a halt to the seminar and product presentation by Asia Pacific Co., Ltd.

According to our investigation, almost immediately after its establishment in Dong Nai, Asia International Production & Trading Co., Ltd. sent a letter to the Nghe An Food Safety and Hygiene Sub-Department requesting permission to organize a seminar to advise on and introduce its products. The Sub-Department subsequently responded with a letter stating that the products met the requirements for market circulation and requested the company to directly contact the local authorities where the event would be held and comply with the regulations in the Advertising Law.

Although they were only permitted to hold seminars to advise and introduce products, the company subsequently enticed people to buy their goods. According to regulations, units are allowed to introduce products but not to sell them, because people need time to learn about the product information.

These are boxes of dietary supplements that people are buying at high prices. Photo: TH

...going to the mountainous region

Not only causing chaos in rural areas in the lowlands, the group specializing in selling dietary supplements also went to remote areas in Tuong Duong and Ky Son districts, selling their products at high prices under the guise of community health care and free product introductions.

In Luu Kien commune (Tuong Duong district), one day at the end of February, a group of three people from southern provinces introduced themselves as employees of the BTH Group, conducting a community health care program and promoting free products. Their target audience was mainly the elderly and women. They went from house to house, exaggerating the benefits of the dietary supplements they brought with them.

"First, they play on people's psychology, saying that people in mountainous areas work hard, have to work in the fields a lot, so they quickly develop bone and joint degeneration and suffer from many other dangerous diseases," said a woman who had spent a large sum of money buying dietary supplements. She added that the group also advertised their products as "curing all diseases," even Covid-19. In reality, these are only dietary supplements and do not have the same medicinal effects as drugs.

Using their usual trick, this group sold goods under the guise of a "charity program." Initially, the salespeople claimed to be selling only one box of medicine for 30,000 to 100,000 VND and asked people to raise their hands if they wanted to buy. Those who registered to buy were also given free gifts such as lemongrass essential oil and massage oil. Later, the group started offering other products and raising the price to millions of VND.

The man went door-to-door in Luu Kien commune to sell his products. Photo: Provided by a local resident.

Not only in Luu Kien, but many people in other communes have also reported being scammed by this group of people under the guise of charity, buying overpriced health supplements. A woman in Tam Quang commune recounted that after hearing the advertisement, she bought Bao An Nano Curcumin Cordyceps and Ginseng Extract (with a free bottle of An Moc Don massage oil) worth 1,400,000 VND. However, after using it for one day, she experienced severe stomach pain and dared not use it again. Many others who bought it also did not dare to use it.

Mr. Vang Kien Cuong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Luu Kien commune, said that this group of people took advantage of the gullibility of ethnic minorities to deceive them into buying products at high prices. After receiving reports from the people, the commune police invited the group for questioning and then expelled them from the area. "Through the commune's propaganda channels, we have also warned people about the increasingly sophisticated methods of fraudsters, who will find ways to evade law enforcement. Therefore, we urge the people to be vigilant. If you see individuals organizing consultations or product presentations, please report it immediately to the local police so that timely action can be taken, to avoid being deceived and losing money," Mr. Cuong said.

Tien Hung