Hanoi Police warn of new online shopping refund scam

Police in Hanoi have issued a warning regarding a new fraudulent scheme targeting online shoppers. Scammers impersonate brand representatives, e-commerce platforms, or delivery personnel to claim that a recently delivered product is part of a defective, prohibited, or dangerous batch that must be urgently recalled for a refund.

To build trust, criminals often use accurate transaction details, such as the specific product name and delivery time, which may have been obtained through data leaks or illegal sharing. Once the victim is convinced, the scammers request bank account details for the purported refund. They then direct the victim to communicate via third-party apps like Facebook, Zalo, or Telegram to “verify” the refund or generate a recall code.

Through these external channels, scammers use fake links, QR codes, or instructions to trick victims into entering OTP codes, bank passwords, or paying upfront fees under the guise of processing the refund. Authorities advise consumers to verify all order information directly through official e-commerce applications.