Vietnam police arrest core members of cross‑border dating‑app fraud ring

On 3 August, police in Cao Bằng province arrested three senior figures—Lê Văn Sỹ, Lê Nhật Tài and Chu Văn Thành—who led a cross‑border fraud network that used dating‑app platforms to swindle more than 2.3 trillion VND from victims across Vietnam. The operation, coordinated with Cambodian authorities, involved luring victims online, then coaxing them into investing in fake gambling and financial websites.

The same day, police in Lào Cai province charged five drivers—Thèn Văn Chung, Đặng Văn Hòa, Đặng Văn Trường, Lê Duy Lâm and Ngô Minh Hiếu—with organizing the illegal entry and stay of foreign nationals. The drivers are accused of repeatedly transporting groups of foreigners between Lào Cai and Hanoi for profit, violating Vietnam’s criminal code on illegal residence.

Both cases illustrate a heightened crackdown by Vietnamese law‑enforcement agencies on high‑tech scams and immigration‑related offenses.