Vietnam police issue warnings against loan and rental scams

Police departments in Vietnam have issued warnings regarding two distinct fraudulent schemes targeting vulnerable populations.

In Quang Ninh, authorities are alerting the public to scammers posing as bank employees, financial company representatives, or loan brokers. These individuals use social media to advertise quick, unsecured loans with minimal documentation. Once they gain access to personal information such as ID numbers, phone numbers, and biometric data, they use these details to commit theft. Police advise citizens to only use official banking channels and never provide OTP codes, passwords, or personal identification to unverified individuals.

In Ho Chi Minh City, criminal police have warned new students about sophisticated rental deposit scams. Scammers exploit the high demand for housing by posting attractive, low-priced rooms on social media to trigger a fear of missing out. Victims are pressured to transfer deposits immediately to secure the room, after which the scammers cut contact. In more complex scenarios, scammers rent high-end apartments on a short-term basis to pose as legitimate landlords, leading victims to sign contracts and pay several months of rent before the actual owner appears.