Vietnamese police warn of bank account fraud and charity scams

Authorities in Vietnam are issuing warnings regarding the illegal sale, rental, and lending of bank accounts. The Dak Lak Provincial Police report that criminals are enticing individuals, particularly students and youth, to open accounts and hand over ATM cards, SIM cards, and authentication codes. These accounts are then used for money laundering, online gambling, and fraudulent transactions. Under Article 291 of the Penal Code, illegal handling of bank account information can result in fines up to 500 million VND or up to 7 years in prison, as well as the freezing of assets.

In a separate investigation, the Tuyen Quang Provincial Police have identified a fraudulent charity scheme. A suspect, Nguyen Van Quy, allegedly used a fake Facebook page impersonating the Ho Chi Minh City General Hospital to post images of burned children and solicit donations. Funds were directed to a VPBank account under the name Lang Van Nghia. Police are urging anyone who transferred money to that specific account to contact investigators to assist in the case and protect victim rights.