Vietnamese banks sue borrowers over small credit‑card debts

Vietnamese commercial banks have begun filing lawsuits against cardholders whose overdue balances range from 20 million to 50 million VND. When borrowers stop repaying, the debt is re‑classified as overdue and interest jumps to more than 150 % of the regular rate. Court rulings in Gia Lai province illustrate the practice: Lê Thị Ly L, who held a VND 50 million credit limit, was ordered to pay VND 63 million, including VND 55 million principal and VND 8 million overdue interest, plus civil fees. In a separate case, Huỳnh Thị H was required to repay VND 91 million, with interest equal to over half the original principal. Another defendant, H.T.D, faced a total claim of VND 58 million, comprising VND 25.7 million principal and VND 32.3 million interest at 4.155 % per month. The judgments underscore that even modest credit‑card arrears can lead to legal action, high interest charges, and long‑term damage to borrowers’ credit records.