Phú Thọ police warn of new “scam on top of scam” targeting former fraud victims

The police in Thọ Văn commune, Phú Thọ province, Vietnam have issued a warning about a new online fraud tactic that preys on people who previously lost money in investment, cryptocurrency, stock or online‑trading scams. The scammers create multiple groups on Facebook, Zalo and Telegram under names such as “Support to Recover Frozen Funds” or “Retrieve Lost Money,” and use fake images of police officers, lawyers or bank staff to appear legitimate.

They contact victims, request personal identification, bank account details and a series of fees – filing fees, verification fees, lawyer fees, unlocking fees, tax or insurance fees, and deposit guarantees – promising to recover the lost money. After receiving the payment, the scammers cut off contact, delete accounts or dissolve the groups. Police advise the public not to join unknown recovery groups, not to pay any fees, not to share personal or banking information, and to report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station while preserving all evidence.

The warning aims to prevent further financial loss and to curb the spread of these deceptive recovery schemes across social‑media platforms.