On 23/6, 33-year-old Dao and over 100 suspects were detained by the Criminal Police Department (C02, Ministry of Public Security) for investigation into the use of computer networks, telecommunications networks, and electronic means for property appropriation.
Investigators identified this fraud ring as operating domestically, under the guise of businesses, with a tightly organized structure and the largest number of perpetrators ever dismantled. Hundreds of thousands of victims, mostly elderly, fell into Dao's and his accomplices' traps, with the total amount defrauded reaching hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong.
Police raided several of Tran Quang Dao's companies, catching hundreds of employees in the act of scamming the elderly. Video: Nhat Vy
According to the investigation, Dao had relatives register 4 e-commerce and online sales businesses: Ressun Trading and Service Co., Ltd., Resshose Tiktok Shop, Rees Mark Co., Ltd., and Lesson Trading and Service Co., Ltd. He recruited hundreds of employees, assigning them to management, sales, and customer service roles. He also collected and purchased the personal data of elderly individuals in need of healthcare.
Dao's employees called those whose data they had obtained, posing as staff from nutrition institutes, medical centers, and vaccination facilities. They informed the individuals that they were on a list to receive gifts of bird's nest, milk, and other nutritional products. If the target agreed, the group would send a box of bird's nest and request a 270,000 VND shipping fee.
Having completed the first step, the group would then inform the victims that they were among the "lucky ones" who had won a massage chair worth 76 million VND or other valuable healthcare appliances. However, the condition for receiving the prize was to present the shipping fee receipt as proof of purchase.
If the victims agreed to receive the massage chair, Dao's employees would ask them to pay 990,000 VND as an information transfer fee, promising a refund upon receiving the gift. From there, the victims were tricked into paying various other fees, such as taxes and customs duties, totaling up to 10 million VND.
Having already paid the initial amount and hoping to receive the valuable gift, most victims complied with the scammers' demands. However, they ultimately never received any goods.
The C02 determined that since 2023, Dao's group had defrauded hundreds of thousands of people using this scheme. The victims were mainly elderly individuals with low incomes, relying on pensions, savings, or family support. They desired healthcare but lacked social and technological awareness.
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Tran Quang Dao - the alleged ringleader. Photo: Provided by the police |
Tran Quang Dao - the alleged ringleader. Photo: Provided by the police
In mid-June, C02 coordinated with Ho Chi Minh City Police to raid 4 of Dao's company offices and warehouses. Police found over 200 employees (including 149 women) engaged in fraudulent activities. They seized over 500 phones of various types, along with documents, books, materials, and other items.
Investigators urge victims of this group to contact the Criminal Police Department - Southern Standing Office at 258 Nguyen Trai Street, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; or Senior Lieutenant Colonel Le Vinh Tung (Deputy Head of the Serious Crimes Division, phone number 0986676869).
To prevent the elderly from becoming victims of online scams, Ho Chi Minh City Police advise families to spend time with their elderly relatives, converse with them, and warn them about online fraud methods. They should guide the elderly on how to safely use technology and social media, explaining the potential risks. Families should also carefully consider allowing the elderly to use banking apps or link their bank accounts to avoid fraud.
If elderly individuals receive suspicious calls or messages, they should immediately inform their children or relatives for assistance. Upon discovering any instances of fraud, they should report it to the police for investigation and handling.
Quoc Thang
