Cross-Border Surrogacy Ring Exposed Under Guise of Infertility Consultations

An undercover investigation by Thanh Niên newspaper has exposed a complex, cross-border surrogacy network operating discreetly on Facebook, disguised as infertility consultation groups. The operation meticulously screens potential members, pushing sensitive conversations into private channels to maintain secrecy.

Initially, posts within these groups appear to be casual sharing of experiences and medical advice. However, deeper engagement reveals a sophisticated network facilitating international surrogacy. The investigation faced significant hurdles, with administrators frequently filtering members and restricting public comments. Many unfamiliar accounts were quickly removed, making infiltration difficult.

Over a month, the investigative team used more than ten different accounts with various personas to gain access, but most attempts were rejected or ignored. Only one account managed to pass the stringent screening process. This account was used to interact with a profile that advertised "IVF/IUI consultation services in Thailand," offering tailored solutions for different family needs and circumstances, and providing a contact number.

Contact was made via Zalo with an individual named "Ngoc IVF Thailand." This person, however, did not engage directly. Instead, they created a private group chat, adding another account, Nguyễn Hồ Quang Vinh, before leaving the chat citing business. Vinh then proceeded with the "screening" process, requesting personal information such as name, age, hometown, family situation, and menstrual cycle details.

After providing the requested information, the undercover reporter was asked to switch to phone calls for further discussion, with the explanation, "Don't text too much, let me call." The caller, speaking with a Southern Vietnamese accent, asked about how the service was discovered, the reasons for seeking surrogacy, and family circumstances. The reporter was then asked to send a copy of their national ID card for "information verification." Shortly after, a direct meeting was arranged.

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Don't text too much, let me call.