Vietnamese Duo Arrested for Scamming Expats with Fake Loan Scheme

Picture courtesy of VN Express

Two men from Vietnam, Tran Phuoc Vinh, 25, and Truong Van Tho, 24, have been arrested for scamming nearly US$39,000 from Vietnamese expats in the U.S. and Australia. The pair posed as bank employees offering fake loans online.

Detained by Lam Dong police on July 1, Vinh and Tho targeted Vietnamese people living abroad who were in need of quick cash. Vinh, previously convicted of online fraud, joined forces with Tho after relocating to Lam Dong earlier this year.

Since May, they allegedly created numerous Facebook profiles, masquerading as bank staff and advertising easy loans. They manipulated documents and instructed victims to deposit insurance and tax fees into intermediary accounts to secure these loans. Once the payments were made, Vinh and Tho severed all contact.

Police revealed that the scammers defrauded dozens of victims, with total losses nearing VND1 billion (about US$39,000). This case highlights ongoing challenges in combating online fraud targeting vulnerable communities.

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from VN Express 2025-07-02