At approximately 9 a.m. on 5/12, a 79-year-old resident of Thanh Dong Ward received two calls from unknown numbers. The caller, speaking in a serious tone, identified himself as a police officer and claimed the man was under investigation for an international drug trafficking and money laundering case involving over 20 billion VND.
The imposter demanded that the man immediately withdraw 100 million VND from his bank account and quickly sell seven taels of gold to "surrender" the funds for the investigation, promising a "smooth resolution" to the matter.
However, the man recounted that having heard and read extensively about phone scam tactics, he immediately recognized the unusual nature of the calls. He promptly ceased contact and reported the incident to the ward police.
Thanh Dong Ward Police dispatched officers to the man's home to verify the report. They confirmed that this was a typical police impersonation scam, designed to psychologically intimidate elderly individuals into surrendering their assets.
Hai Phong Police urged residents to increase their vigilance and dedicate time to educating family members, especially the elderly, about various phone and social media scam methods.
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Thanh Dong Ward Police explain the scammers' tactics to the elderly man. Photo: Xuan Hoa |
Thanh Dong Ward Police explain the scammers' tactics to the elderly man. Photo: Xuan Hoa
In reality, phone scam tactics, employing various approaches, have repeatedly led many individuals into traps. Recently, a woman in Thuy Nguyen Ward lost over 3 billion VND to a different scheme. She was contacted by a Zalo account named Nguyen Quang Thai, who initiated a conversation and claimed to work for an international logistics company. During their chats, the scammer introduced her to a job involving "shipping support - order confirmation." He then directed her to a website with an interface mimicking an e-commerce platform.
The woman was instructed to create an account and perform "tasks" by transferring money to bank accounts as guided by the system. In return, Thai promised to refund the full amount transferred, along with a commission. After successfully completing initial tasks and receiving full refunds, she became convinced the work was legitimate.
She transferred a total of over 85 million VND to a bank account belonging to an agricultural business, following instructions on the website. After receiving a refund and commission, she proceeded to participate in subsequent tasks. The virtual system then displayed higher-value tasks, requiring multiple consecutive transactions.
She reported making a total of 10 transfers, amounting to 3.264 billion VND, into various accounts. Upon completing these transfers, the website displayed a technical error, prevented withdrawals, and demanded additional funds to unlock the system.
At this point, the individual named Thai blocked all contact, and the website became inaccessible. Realizing she had been scammed, she reported the incident to the police.
Le Tan
