Authorities dismantled a multi-billion VND scam targeting tour buyers.

At noon on October 12th, in an exchange with reporters, an officer from the Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security stated that the unit had initiated a criminal case and indicted Tran Ha Mi (27 years old, from Quang Ninh province), TTN (26 years old, from Lai Chau province), and NTH (27 years old, from Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province) for the crime of "Fraudulent appropriation of property".

These suspects were prosecuted for their involvement in a scam that defrauded customers of billions of Vietnamese dong by defrauding them of tour packages and hotel reservations at various VIP tourist destinations.

Initially, the police determined that from April 2023 to the present, the three suspects had colluded with a suspect named Sam (whose identity and background are unknown) via the Telegram application to commit fraud and embezzle property through advertising travel agencies that offered booking services for tours, airline tickets, and hotel rooms at tourist resorts.

According to the assignment agreement, Sam would provide Mi, N., and H. with Facebook accounts containing thousands of followers to post advertisements selling travel tours, airline tickets, etc.

In addition, Sam also provided bank accounts in their own names to the three aforementioned defendants to use in receiving money from the victims.

When customers contacted them, the group of suspects would use Facebook and Zalo to send messages and negotiate the number of rooms, airline tickets, and the amount to be paid.

The defendants exploited the policy allowing a 24-hour grace period without having to transfer payment to access booking.com to book hotel rooms and airline websites to book flights.

After tricking customers into transferring money to bank accounts that don't belong to them, this group of scammers blocks communication by unfriending them on Facebook and Zalo, then steals all the money the customers paid for the tour. Most of the customers were interested in buying tours and booking hotel rooms at VIP resorts, including Vinpearl.

Using the above tactics, the suspects defrauded and misappropriated billions of VND from numerous victims nationwide. The money obtained from the victims was divided according to an agreed-upon ratio: 3 defendants received 75%, while Sam received 25%.

Currently, the Criminal Police Department is continuing to expand its investigation into the case.