Impersonating bank employees to open credit cards, embezzling more than 70 billion VND

This unit has also prosecuted 5 defendants to investigate the crime of "Fraudulent appropriation of property; using computer networks, telecommunications networks, and electronic means to commit acts of property appropriation and money laundering".

According to the investigation agency's documents, the subjects went to Cambodia to rent a house, install machinery, rent high-speed internet connection, and buy "junk" bank accounts to operate. The subjects rented internet calling software with 12 different prefixes; rented software to fake IP addresses to serve criminal activities.

Then, they ran ads on Facebook to introduce and promote the service of opening a bank card. When people had a need, they would send a message to Messenger, from here the subjects impersonated bank employees to advise on opening a credit card.

During the card opening process, the subjects require the victim to provide personal information (citizen identification card), register the card limit (lowest 50 million VND, highest 500 million VND), the victim registers a limit, then must deposit 20% of the limit into the card. After that, the subjects will steal all card account information to carry out the property appropriation activity.

Because the money in the account can only be withdrawn by hard card (plastic card) or transferred via online payment, for convenience, the subjects choose to buy goods directly on e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, or Dien May Xanh, The Gioi Dong, FPT... chains of stores across the country to order goods online (mainly Apple products such as: iPhone, iPad, Macbook).

After purchasing, the subjects asked the victims to enter the OTP code to confirm that the card was opened, but in fact, they stole the OTP code to complete the purchase payment. After entering the OTP code, the subjects colluded with the employees of the shopping centers to receive the goods and then transfer them to the retail stores outside to split the money.

In the above line, there were more than 20 participants, led by Nguy Phan Kien (born in 1987), in Tu Mai commune, Yen Dung district, Bac Giang province and Tran Hoang Minh (born in 1991), in Dong Viet commune, Yen Dung district, Bac Giang province.

Of these, 3 subjects used computer networks, telecommunications networks, and electronic means to appropriate property; 1 subject committed fraud, and 18 subjects committed money laundering.

Initial determination is that from April 2024 to the end of June 2024, this group of subjects appropriated and laundered over 70 billion VND. Nhu Xuan District Police are continuing to hunt down the subjects who are hiding in Cambodia...