On 16/8, Da Nang police announced the rescue of two young women, aged 18 and 19, from separate "virtual kidnapping" scams orchestrated by international criminals.
The first incident occurred around 8 PM on 14/8. The family of an 18-year-old student in Hoa Cuong ward received a call from their daughter. She claimed to be under investigation by the police, connected to a major drug trafficking and money laundering ring. She told her family they needed to transfer money to prove their innocence.
Shortly after, a man claiming to be a police officer called the family, demanding 500 million VND for the student's release.
Investigating the family's report, Da Nang City Criminal Police found the student in a motel in Hoa Xuan ward, about 5 km from her home. While she wasn't physically restrained, she was following instructions from the scammers online.
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The student from Hoa Cuong ward receives information from the police about the scam after being rescued from the "virtual kidnapping". Photo: Police Department |
The student from Hoa Cuong ward receives information from the police about the scam after being rescued from the "virtual kidnapping". Photo: Police Department
The second incident unfolded on the afternoon of 15/8. A 19-year-old woman in Hoi An Dong ward was psychologically manipulated into going to a motel. After receiving a ransom demand of 400 million VND, her family lost contact with her.
At 5:30 PM, the Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department received the report and mobilized officers to search for her. By 9:08 PM, they found her in a motel in Ngu Hanh Son district, still video chatting with someone in Cambodia.
These are the first "virtual kidnapping" cases recorded in Da Nang, although this type of scam has appeared in other localities. Ho Chi Minh City reported 18 cases between March and mid-August, mostly involving university students, both male and female, with ransom demands totaling 3.5 billion VND.
According to the police, these are called "virtual kidnappings" because victims are manipulated into behaving as if they were in a real kidnapping, even though there's no physical contact between the perpetrators and the victims.
Da Nang police warn that these scammers prey on people's fears. They turn "virtual kidnappings" into real financial losses. Citizens are urged to remain vigilant, avoid sharing personal information, and refrain from transferring money at the request of anyone claiming to be a government official. Students, in particular, should be equipped with skills to recognize online scams.
Nguyen Dong
