Do Hoang Long, a 29-year-old resident of Hai Phong City, was temporarily detained by Dak Lak Provincial Police on 8/3 for fraudulent appropriation of property.

Do Hoang Long at the investigative agency. *Photo: Ngoc Oanh*

According to the investigation, Long began his fraudulent activities in late 2018. Without a stable job, he went online to research videos related to exorcism and ghost-catching techniques, intending to use them for scams.

By 10/2024, Long had cultivated a public image as a "spiritual doctor." He claimed abilities such as communing with the deceased, foretelling the future, predicting divine secrets, and healing spiritual ailments. To promote his persona, he livestreamed and posted videos on social media, featuring content on exorcism, ghost-catching, and severing "duyen am" (spiritual connections to the deceased).

When individuals contacted him, Long would demand an upfront transfer of 500,000 dong to schedule a fortune-telling session. He then fabricated elaborate stories, telling victims they were followed by spirits, haunted by ghosts, or troubled by "duyen am." He warned that failing to perform a ritual would endanger their health and lives, pressuring them to transfer tens of millions of dong more.

After receiving the payments, Long would don a blue robe and initiate a video call with the victim. During these calls, he would mutter incantations and make hand gestures for 15 to 30 minutes, aiming to convince them of his spiritual powers and legitimacy.

Police have initially identified three victims who were defrauded by Long, losing nearly 70 million dong through this scheme. The case is currently under expanded investigation.

Ngoc Oanh