Linked to the arrest of nearly 60 suspects accused of stealing close to 1,000 billion VND (about $43 million) from over 13,000 victims nationwide, the Bac Ninh Provincial Security Investigation Agency has identified 42 suspects with enough evidence to prosecute. Among them, 38 have been temporarily detained for fraud. Authorities continue to expand the investigation into related crimes including money laundering and organizing illegal overseas stays, while tracking down other involved individuals.
This group operated in the Tam Thai Tu area, Bavet City, Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia. They impersonated local police officers, tax officials, electricity and education department staff, calling victims to update ID information, submit online school enrollment forms, undergo health checks, declare taxes, and more. Then they took control of victims’ phones and stole money from their bank accounts.
To create a closed-loop scam, the ring divided roles into three groups called Cao 1, Cao 2, and Cao 3, each with specific tasks.
According to Tuoi Tre newspaper, suspect Do Van Nghia (25, from Bac Giang) explained that Cao 1 impersonated ward police officers calling victims to come to district police stations to update information.
Then Cao 2 instructed victims to click on links containing malware to install fake apps, which allowed scammers to take control of their phones and access bank accounts.
Finally, Cao 3 worked with Cao 2 to withdraw money from victims’ accounts.
Among the suspects, Pham Thi Huyen Trang has drawn public attention and outrage. At only 26 years old, she was a senior manager with strong language skills, fluent speech, and sharp intelligence. Trang was responsible for creating the scam scripts and training the Cao 1, Cao 2, and Cao 3 teams.
VTV reported that right after her arrest, Trang described her role on camera: “After joining the company, the boss liked how I expressed things. He rewrote the text according to his ideas, and I translated it closely… The scripts included many details that fit the psychology of the victims.”
The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to uncover all details.
