Vietnam police dismantle cross‑border Zalo investment fraud ring

The Quang Trị provincial Criminal Police Department announced the bust of a transnational financial‑fraud network operating from Cambodia. The ring targeted thousands of victims across Vietnam, largely middle‑aged women, by sending deceptive Zalo friend requests, building personal rapport, and then coaxing them into investing in fake cryptocurrency platforms such as a counterfeit OKX app using USDT. Victims were initially allowed to withdraw small amounts to gain trust, after which the fraudsters demanded additional funds citing taxes, verification fees, or transaction errors. The scheme followed a scripted “7‑day customer‑targeting process” to maximize losses, estimated at more than 3 000 billion VND per year.

Police have opened specialized case 008D, arrested 61 suspects and continue to expand the investigation. Authorities urge the public to avoid accepting unknown Zalo contacts, never transfer money to unverified platforms, and report suspicious activity immediately.