(TAP) - Phu Tho Province Police (Vietnam) has just prosecuted a Vietnamese national who is the leader of a sophisticated online fraud ring operating from Cambodia targeting victims across Vietnam. This group specializes in using dating apps and fake identities to steal hundreds of millions VND from many people.
According to information posted on July 26 (Vietnam time) on the Facebook page of Phu Tho Provincial Police, the criminal group of about 25 - 30 members, headquartered in Phnom Penh (Cambodia) led by Đỗ Đông Hưng (1986, Thai Nguyen province). Hung rented a house and organized the operation with strict role assignments, including financial management, performance monitoring, and specialized teams such as the "customer luring" team and the "customer scamming" team. They searched for potential victims through dating apps like Love 2.1, Love Connection and others.
Fake accounts used by the subjects to commit fraud. Source: Facebook of Phu Tho Provincial Police
Next, the "customer-luring" group has the task of getting to know and making friends through social networks; often using Telegram accounts impersonating successful, good-looking men to get to know middle-aged, single or divorced women. After building trust, the group of scammers entices the victims to invest, play gambling games or spin the wheel to win prizes. When the victims trust and start transferring money, the subjects transfer the profit to continue to entice them to deposit more money and forward the information to the "customer-scamming" group. At this time, the "customer-scamming" group performs technical operations to prevent withdrawals, request additional fees until the victims are financially exhausted, then immediately cut off contact and erase all traces.
6 subjects belonging to the criminal group. Source: Facebook of Phu Tho Provincial Police
After the investigation, on July 16, 2025, Phu Tho Provincial Police simultaneously searched and arrested 6 subjects of the above criminal group, including: Phan Ba Huynh (1993, Thai Nguyen province); Nguyen Hai Long (2001, Thai Nguyen province); Bui Van Hung (2001, Bac Ninh province); Trinh Thi Thu Uyen (1991, Dong Nai province); Nguyen Van Chung (1993, Thai Nguyen province); Nguyen Hong Phi (2001, Nghe An province). On July 21, Do Dong Hung surrendered to the Criminal Police Department, Phu Tho Provincial Police.
Police took the statement of the ringleader Do Dong Hung. Source: Facebook of Phu Tho Provincial Police
Recently, the Investigation Police Agency of Phu Tho Provincial Police decided to prosecute the case, press charges against the accused, and issue temporary detention orders for seven individuals. At the same time, two related individuals — Pham Thi Huyen Trang (born 2009, Hai Phong City) and Luong Thi Lieu (born 2007, Bac Ninh Province) — were also summoned to clarify their involvement. The case is currently under further investigation and will be strictly handled in accordance with the law. The Phu Tho Provincial Police have called on the remaining members of the fraud ring to surrender to the Criminal Police Department to receive leniency under the law.
This is a common type of "love scam", taking advantage of the victim's loneliness and desire to find happiness. Therefore, everyone needs to be extremely vigilant with virtual relationships, especially when the partner entices to invest; do not transfer money to strangers, for any reason; report immediately if you suspect fraud.
Viet Anh