Elderly Vietnamese woman narrowly escapes $800,000 ‘international gift’ scam

Police in Cam My Commune announced on Thursday that they had coordinated with local bank staff to thwart a fraud attempt that targeted the elderly woman through social media.

The incident began on the afternoon of February 9, when the woman, identified as T.T.K.K., arrived alone at the Cam My transaction office of LPBank.

Appearing anxious and distressed, she requested to transfer VND150 million ($5,800) to an unfamiliar bank account.

Observing unusual behavior, bank employees promptly alerted local authorities.

Officers in Cam My Commune were dispatched to the scene to investigate the case of suspected online fraud.

According to officers, the woman had been approached on social media by an individual posing as a foreign national.

The suspect gradually built trust through online conversations before claiming to send her a valuable ‘international gift,’ allegedly containing $800,000, for safekeeping.

The scammer also promised to relocate to Vietnam to live and do business.

However, to receive the supposed gift, the woman was told she needed to pay VND150 million in tax fees.

Believing the story, she brought her entire savings to the bank to complete the transfer.

After police explained the tactics commonly used in high-tech and online fraud schemes, the woman realized she had been deceived.

The timely intervention prevented her from losing all her savings.

Police in Cam My Commune have urged residents to remain vigilant and refrain from transferring money to individuals met through social media, regardless of the circumstances.

Also, residents are advised to immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station for prompt assistance.