Vietnamese Woman Nearly Loses $4,000 to Online Friend Scam

A woman in Vietnam's Nghe An province was on the verge of losing approximately 100 million VND (around $4,000 USD) after falling victim to an online romance scam. The incident was thwarted thanks to the vigilance of bank employees who alerted the police.

The victim, identified as 51-year-old P.T.T. from Hoang Mai ward, was contacted on Facebook by a user named Stephen Raja. After initiating a friendship, Raja began sending frequent messages, expressing significant interest in her. The scammer then informed her that he had sent her a package containing $800,000 USD along with other valuable assets.

To receive this supposed package, Raja instructed the victim to pay various fees, including customs duties, shipping costs, and document verification charges, totaling 100 million VND. Eager to receive the promised fortune, and lacking the immediate funds, the victim decided to use her land use certificate as collateral to secure a loan from Agribank's Hoang Mai branch.

During the loan application process, bank staff observed unusual behavior from the victim and suspected she was being targeted by scammers. They promptly reported their concerns to the Hoang Mai ward police. Authorities arrived to speak with the victim, explaining the common tactics used in such fraudulent schemes. Realizing she was being deceived, the victim halted the loan process and did not transfer the money.

Local police and bank officials have reiterated warnings about these prevalent online scams. They urge the public to be cautious of individuals met on social media who build relationships and then fabricate scenarios involving gifts, foreign currency, or valuable items from abroad, all designed to trick victims into sending money for bogus fees. Authorities advise extreme caution, emphasizing the importance of verifying identities before sending money and never trusting promises of large sums or gifts without thorough confirmation.