Vietnam police dismantle multinational online fraud hub in Phú Thọ

On June 12, police in Phú Thọ province, Vietnam, discovered and halted a large‑scale cross‑border online fraud operation. Investigators, working with immigration officials, found that foreign individuals had rented villas, farmstays and other properties in Hanoi, Lào Cai and Phú Thọ to house dozens of foreigners for an extended period.

The suspects were linked to scam networks operating out of Cambodia and included a Chinese national, Zhao Wei Zhong, who was tasked with scouting locations, coordinating activities and arranging accommodation. At the sites, the group installed computers, phones, Wi‑Fi equipment and other hardware intended to run the fraud scheme. Police seized 73 computers, 134 mobile phones, 34 USB drives, 20 Wi‑Fi transmitters, among other devices, and arrested several members of the ring, including Zhao Wei Zhong and three Vietnamese suspects.

Sixteen of the foreign residents were found without legal entry documents. The investigation continues as authorities seek to identify the leaders of the network and further prosecute those involved.