Bank Manager "Fake" Scams Friend Out of 9 Billion Dong in Crypto Investment: A Warning Lesson Amid the Virtual Fever.
The case of Tran Quoc Huy (born 1991, residing in Cau Ong Lanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) who was recently prosecuted and temporarily detained by the Lam Dong Provincial Police for fraud and asset appropriation has drawn special public attention. Notably, Huy used the cover of a "bank manager" to easily gain the victim's trust and appropriate a massive amount of nearly 9 billion dong.
According to initial investigation results, from May 2021 to March 2023, Huy repeatedly approached and borrowed money from Ms. D.T.D.N (born 1991, from Song Luy Commune, Lam Dong Province) - a former high school classmate. With promises of high profits from virtual and crypto investments and the advantage of being a "bank officer", Huy easily built trust. Throughout this process, the victim transferred nearly 9 billion dong to Huy.
However, instead of transparent investment, Huy transferred the entire amount to strange accounts to buy crypto online. Notably, after nearly two years, Huy only returned over 1 billion dong to Ms. N, with the rest disappearing through obscure transactions.
The Criminal Investigation Agency of Lam Dong Provincial Police determined that all information Huy provided to borrow money was false, with clear signs of deception, sufficient to constitute fraud and asset appropriation. The case is continuing to be investigated, and the police are calling on anyone who was a victim of Tran Quoc Huy to quickly report to protect their legal rights.
A Story Not Unique to One Person
In a context where virtual and crypto currencies were once heavily promoted as "life-changing opportunities", many people in Vietnam invested money without sufficient financial knowledge. This is also the reason behind numerous fraud cases involving tens or even hundreds of billions of dong. Huy's case is a typical example of the "borrowing bank names - drawing fake profits" scam.
In reality, many scammers have exploited social media and impressive titles like "financial expert", "bank employee", or even "international trading platform collaborator" to approach victims. They target the psychology of profit-seeking and trust in old acquaintances, then appropriate massive amounts of money.
Notably, just last month, Hanoi Police also dismantled a fraud network of over 200 billion dong related to calling for Capital investment in cryptocurrency. In the US, many banks are warning about high-tech crime trends that exploit the trust of acquaintances to call for investment, especially as discussions intensify about financial management policies and tightening the crypto market following potential return of President Donald Trump to the White House in late 2024. This demonstrates the global nature of crypto-related fraud.
Through Tran Quoc Huy's case, authorities emphasize that people should absolutely not trust opaque investment invitations, especially when information is based solely on personal relationships. Instead, they should carefully verify sources, legal documents, and consult financial experts before investing.
