Vietnam police break up Chinese fraud ring from Cambodia

Lao Cai police said on Sunday that provincial investigators had recently raided a local hotel and broken up the fraud ring composed of Chinese nationals who had moved from Cambodia to Vietnam to engage in online scams.

According to investigators, in early June, Lao Cai police identified a group of Chinese nationals who entered Vietnam from Cambodia through the Moc Bai Border Gate in Tay Ninh Province in the south before traveling to Lao Cai, where they rented a large number of rooms at Song Hong View Hotel in Lao Cai Ward.

Police determined that the group had been involved in fraud activities in Cambodia and was led by Wang Xiang Sheng, 45, from Fujian Province, China.

Lao Cai police subsequently directed specialized units to conduct covert verification and monitoring of the group.

By June 10, investigators found that the suspects had begun installing electronic equipment at the hotel, including computers preloaded with Chinese social media applications such as Teleglam and 69yue, as well as 5G signal broadcasting devices, in preparation for carrying out fraud schemes involving fake Chinese loan applications.

According to police, the group targeted Chinese citizens seeking loans. Members allegedly posed as employees of loan apps, instructed victims on application procedures, and then defrauded them of their money.

On Friday, as soon as the group led by Wang Xiang Sheng began conducting fraudulent activities, officers from Lao Cai police raided Song Hong View Hotel and arrested all 19 suspects, preventing the online fraud scheme from progressing further.

At the scene, police seized 23 laptop computers, 26 mobile phones, eight 5G signal broadcasting devices, 16 USB drives containing operating systems, and other related items and documents.

An examination of electronic data found that the group had collected information on approximately 25,000 Chinese citizens while operating in Cambodia.

Authorities said the timely dismantling of the organized transnational fraud ring, which employed sophisticated technology and operated on a large scale, helped prevent potential losses and contributed to strengthening cooperation between Vietnamese and Chinese law enforcement agencies.

Lao Cai police are continuing to expand the investigation and handle the case in accordance with the law.