[REVISION HISTORY]

Criminal activity and fraud in Vietnam

Updated 10 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-18 05:14 UTC → 2026-10-21 04:33 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Vietnam is experiencing a rise in diverse criminal activities, including physical burglaries and sophisticated digital fraud. In Thanh Hoa province, authorities arrested Nguyen Quy Son, a professional burglar ~~responsible for targeting~~ who targeted isolated homes and ~~stealing high-value items such as gold.~~ stole gold valued at approximately 178 million VND. Cybercrime remains a significant concern. Prosecutors are pursuing a group ~~involved in~~ of eight individuals, including Luu Sinh Dien, for a large-scale scam operating from Cambodia that impersonated ~~e-commerce~~ Shopee employees. This operation was reportedly managed by a Chinese criminal organization. Additionally, scammers are impersonating local officials, police, or land management staff to trick citizens into providing personal data or OTP codes under the pretext of updating electronic identification (VNeID) or settling land taxes. Hanoi police have highlighted a surge in ~~cryptocurrency-related~~ cryptocurrency and Forex investment scams. Criminals utilize fake tokens, fraudulent websites, and the likeness of influencers to promise high returns. These schemes often involve malicious links, malware, or fraudulent QR codes designed to seize control of digital wallets. Scammers use social media and messaging apps to lure victims with promises of ‘high, stable, and risk-free returns’. Recent investigations identified fraudulent assets, such as the ‘BDOGE’ cryptocurrency, which was falsely advertised as a high-profit project. Authorities have also warned of a ‘Warning-as-Bait’ tactic involving a Facebook page titled ‘Viện Kiểm Sát - Liên Kết Ngân Hàng Hỗ Trợ’ (Procuracy - Bank Link Support), which uses AI-generated images Some schemes involve fake exchanges using automated bots to ~~impersonate judicial authorities. Psychological manipulation remains a core tactic in impersonation scams.~~ manipulate market liquidity. In ~~a recent incident~~ Bac Ninh province, authorities prosecuted individuals for accessing Binance accounts through deceptive USDT transactions and malicious QR codes. New tactics include ‘short-film’ application scams in ~~Phu Thuong Ward, Hanoi, police rescued a male student after scammers hijacked his Zalo account. The perpetrators impersonated police officers, falsely accusing the student~~ Thanh Hoa, where users are lured by promises of ~~involvement in a transnational drug trafficking case.~~ earning money by watching videos, only to be coerced into paying VIP fees or downloading malware-infected APK files. To ~~isolate him, they instructed him~~ combat these professionalized crimes, Hanoi police have held conferences to ~~rent a guesthouse room under remote surveillance. Once they controlled his account, they contacted his family, claiming he had been kidnapped~~ improve cyber defense and ~~demanding a 100 million VND ransom. Local authorities intervened~~ conducted legal awareness sessions for students, advising them to ~~prevent the transfer of funds~~ follow a ‘3 No’ principle regarding drugs, gambling, and ~~ensured the student's safe return.~~ lending bank accounts.

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