6 Filipinos detained over alleged scam targeting foreign tourists in Ho Chi Minh City

The city’s investigative police agency announced on Thursday that criminal proceedings had been initiated against Del Rosario Rafael Macapanas, 40, and five alleged accomplices on charges of fraudulent appropriation of property.

The arrests followed an investigation by the municipal criminal police, in collaboration with police in Ben Thanh Ward, into a group of foreign nationals who frequently approached other international visitors and exhibited signs of fraudulent activity.

The suspects primarily targeted elderly tourists traveling alone, according to preliminary investigation results.

After gaining their trust, the suspects were accused of persuading the victims to accompany them to a rented location that had been prepared in advance for the scam.

Police said the group operated with carefully assigned roles.

Some members posed as friendly strangers and invited victims to join a card game, while another suspect pretended to be a wealthy participant.

The mastermind acted as the dealer, manipulating the game so that victims repeatedly won early rounds.

The staged victories were designed to convince the victims that they could easily make money.

Once that confidence had been established, another participant, posing as a frustrated loser, would insist on continuing the game in an attempt to recover losses.

The suspect allegedly used fake bank notes and other deceptive tactics to create the impression that they possessed sufficient funds to cover high-stakes bets.

The group then claimed that both sides needed to prove their financial capacity before raising the stakes, persuading victims to withdraw cash and return to the gambling location.

After the victims returned with the money, the suspects carried out the final stage of the scheme, using distraction techniques or exploiting moments when the victims let their guard down to obtain the cash before fleeing the scene.

Police identified Macapanas as the alleged ringleader responsible for directing the operation, assigning roles to accomplices, and overseeing the distribution of illicit proceeds.

The other suspects have been identified as Pardo Oscar Winkler, 76, De Vera Diosdado, 66, Villarin Bregida, 59, Pardo Maria Lanie, 51, and Bernardino Rolando Lim, 51, all Philippine nationals.

The group successfully carried out 18 fraud cases from May 2025 until their detection, appropriating some $10,000 from multiple victims who were foreign tourists.