On 23/7, Del Rosario Rafael Macapanas, 40, a Filipino national, and 5 compatriots were detained by the Criminal Police Department (PC02) of the Ho Chi Minh City Police for fraudulent appropriation of property.

Del Rosario Rafael Macapanas (far left) and accomplices. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Police.

Previously, Team 5 of PC02 discovered a group of foreign nationals frequently approaching tourists with signs of fraud. They coordinated with Ben Thanh Ward Police to promptly investigate.

Investigation results revealed the group typically targeted elderly foreign tourists traveling alone. Once trust was established, they lured victims to a pre-rented apartment to set a trap. Inside the apartment, members had well-defined roles. Rafael, the leader, dealt cards and ensured victims consistently won. Other accomplices pretended to casually make acquaintances, invited victims to gamble, or posed as wealthy participants.

Once victims believed they could easily make money, the group moved to the next phase. The accomplice playing the losing gambler became increasingly frustrated, demanding to play for higher stakes to recoup losses. Simultaneously, they used fake dollars, pretending they were valuable assets to prove their ability to cover payments.

Citing the need for both parties to demonstrate financial capability for larger bets, the group instructed victims to withdraw cash and bring it to the gambling location as "proof of funds." They then executed their prepared script, exploiting moments when victims were off guard or creating distractions to quickly appropriate all the money before fleeing.

Following each successful scam, profits were divided according to a specific ratio: The individual responsible for approaching and luring victims received 20% of the total appropriated amount. The accomplice playing cards received 5%, while Rafael, as the organizer and card dealer, took 10%.

Investigators determined that from May until their discovery, the group successfully carried out 18 scams, appropriating approximately 10,000 USD.

By Quoc Thang