Busting a gang that set up a 'virtual bank' to scam people into lending money in extremely sophisticated ways
The group called many people, claiming to be bank employees to advise on loans. However, they created extremely sophisticated scenarios to scam.
Binh Chanh District Police (HCMC) said they have just dismantled a fraud gang with extremely new and sophisticated tricks.
Police are detaining 8 suspects to prosecute them for their behavior."fraudulent appropriation of property"It is known that this gang is led by Nguyen Quoc Dat (23 years old) and Le Thi Thanh Sau (32 years old, both living in Tan Phu district).
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| This group set up a virtual bank to commit fraud. Photo: CA |
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| Le Thi Thanh Sau (left) and Nguyen Quoc Dat (right), two suspects with leading roles. Photo: CA |
It is known that, from information from the people, Binh Chanh District Police have begun investigating a gang suspected of setting up a "virtual" bank to commit fraud.
After a long period of monitoring, on the afternoon of September 24, the Binh Chanh District Police force raided two houses in Hamlet 6A, Vinh Loc A Commune and Hamlet 4A, Vinh Loc B Commune. At these places, the police detained 8 people for investigation, and confiscated evidence including many computers, ATM cards, books, etc.
According to the police investigation and the suspects' statements, knowing that many people were having difficulties after the Covid-19 pandemic, Dat and Sau set up a sophisticated fraud group. They rented a house in Vinh Loc A commune as their headquarters, and a house in Vinh Loc B commune to live together.
Dat and Sau hired many teenagers aged 16-18 to call many people every day, according to a list they had available, bought from social networks. When calling, these teenagers claimed to be bank employees, advising people to borrow money with low interest rates, simple procedures, and quick disbursement.
They pretend to be employees in departments such as: Customer consulting, file appraisal, customer care, disbursement... to take turns contacting, making the victims think they are real bank employees.
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| The group of scammers pretended to be bank employees and performed the steps as if they were real, causing many victims to fall into the trap. Photo: CA |
When the victim needs to borrow money, they pay attention to the information, add friends on Zalo to advise customers as if they are real.
This group advises two loan packages. One is a loan package from 10 to 50 million VND, customers must pay insurance of 1.9 million VND. The other is a loan package from 50 to 100 million VND, customers pay insurance of 3.9 million VND.
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| Printing fake ATM cards to serve the scam. Photo: CA |
This group's trick is to clearly announce that customers will only pay insurance premiums when the bank disburses the loan.
They also organized the printing of documents to send to customers as if they were real. The group of suspects printed fake ATM cards, informing customers that the loan money had been deposited into the newly created account, and that when they received the card, they could activate it and withdraw the loan money. They sent fake ATM cards and gifts such as wallets, glasses, etc. to customers via postal mail.
Many victims, upon receiving the ATM card, immediately transferred the insurance money to the account designated by the scammers. Then, when the customer activated the ATM card and withdrew money, they were shocked to discover that the card was fake.
The police have now identified dozens of victims of this scam group. The police are calling on any victims to come forward to assist in further investigation.