On 3/6, the Da Nang City Police Investigation Agency announced that An, residing in Dong Duong commune, was temporarily detained for fraud and appropriation of property.

The arrest followed a report on 28/5 from a 52-year-old man who claimed he was defrauded by someone using a fake Facebook account. The perpetrator had befriended him, developed a romantic relationship, and then scammed him. After verifying the report, police arrested An.

At the police station, An confessed that in early August 2018, she purchased a Facebook account named "Linh Dan" from online groups.

An used images of a woman and created a fake profile under the name Pham Linh Dan, 21 years old, from Thua Thien Hue. She falsely claimed to be a student at Da Nang University of Education to befriend and establish connections with others.

Suspect Hong Thien An. Photo: Thanh Huynh

In mid-August 2018, the 52-year-old man befriended this fake account. During their extensive messaging, An consistently provided false information, sent photos, handwritten letters, and fabricated personal stories. This deception aimed to build trust, making the victim believe he was in a romantic relationship with a female student.

From August 2018 to February 2022, after establishing this romantic relationship, An repeatedly requested money, citing reasons such as needing capital to open a store or invest in business ventures.

Trusting her, the man transferred a total of over 1.59 billion VND to An on three occasions. An subsequently appropriated the entire amount for her personal spending.

The investigation agency seized two mobile phones and related electronic data as they continue to expand the case.

Ngoc Truong