Vietnam police dismantle planned large‑scale online scam hub

Vietnamese police in Phu Tho province announced on June 12 that they had disrupted a transnational group planning to establish a high‑tech online fraud centre in Vietnam. The raid seized dozens of computers, hundreds of mobile phones and other internet equipment, and resulted in the arrest of four suspects – a Chinese national and three Vietnamese citizens – who had rented villas, resorts and farmstays in Hanoi, Lao Cai and Phu Tho to accommodate dozens of operatives previously tied to scam centres in Cambodia.

Authorities said the operation prevented the formation of a large‑scale fraud compound and protected national security and citizens' assets. FBI Co‑Deputy Director Andrew Bailey described such scam compounds as “among the most significant threats facing the world today,” noting their rapid expansion across Southeast Asia. Amnesty International later reported that many similar scam compounds remain active in Cambodia despite ongoing crackdowns.