On 28/8, during the National Assembly Standing Committee's review of the July public petitions report, Nguyen Thanh Hai, Chairperson of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment, issued a warning about consumers who impulsively buy products, often swayed by accounts with millions of followers.
She cited cases involving Bui Xuan Huan, known as "Huan Hoa Hong", and Vu Hoang Hai, known as "Hai Sapa TV". While the prosecutions demonstrate the strictness of the law, they also expose limitations in inspecting online business activities.
According to Hai, these individuals exploit customer trust in regional specialties or celebrity-endorsed products to sell goods of unclear origin, substandard quality, or items that differ from their advertisements. These operations can generate revenues of tens, even hundreds of billions VND in a short period.
"Even if each person buys just one or two kilograms, these individuals quickly accumulate significant wealth. This indicates a large number of consumers have purchased products that do not match their advertised claims", she stated.
While online business is rapidly expanding, post-inspection activities remain limited. Many products are self-declared by businesses to meet certain standards, but their actual quality often falls short, causing damage to consumers. Hai proposed that as e-commerce and electronic transaction laws are finalized, authorities must clearly define management responsibilities, enhance post-inspection, and expose tactics used by individuals who exploit their followers for illicit gains.
"These sophisticated tactics must be clarified to prevent other 'Huan Hoa Hongs' and 'Hai Sapas' from continuing to profit by exploiting public trust", she emphasized.
Beyond sales activities, Hai also called for investigations into and public disclosure of instances where social media influence is misused to solicit and misappropriate charitable funds. She believes that transparent information will help people be more cautious when transferring money to online personalities.
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Nguyen Thanh Hai, Chairperson of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment, speaking on the morning of 28/8. *Photo: National Assembly E-portal*
On 24/8, Lao Cai provincial police provisionally detained Vu Hoang Hai and his wife, Bui Thi Kim Tuyen, along with Pham Van Ha, Director of Hoang Nam Production and General Trading Joint Stock Company. Hai is under investigation for customer deception. His wife and Ha are accused of violating accounting regulations, leading to serious consequences.
Initial investigations reveal that Hai leveraged his social media influence to sell "spicy dried buffalo meat" made from frozen buffalo imported from India, falsely advertising it as a Tay Bac specialty. From 2022 to 2025, Hai's wife purchased approximately 30 billion VND worth of products from Hoang Nam Company for market resale.
Previously, the Ministry of Public Security initiated legal proceedings and provisionally detained Bui Xuan Huan for fraudulent appropriation of property and violating accounting regulations, resulting in serious consequences. Huan is accused of misusing charitable funds. Investigators also allege that Huan, his wife, and several associates concealed over 300 billion VND in revenue from their perfume sales operations.
Son Ha
