Many unscrupulous individuals have taken advantage of the development of e-commerce to carry out sophisticated scams. Recently, Ms. Tran Thi Truc, residing in Phuoc My ward (Phan Rang-Thap Cham city), ordered goods online. About two days later, someone called claiming to be a delivery driver and that the goods had been delivered to her workplace, requiring her to transfer 170,000 VND. Initially, Ms. Truc believed them and prepared to transfer the money. However, because it was lunchtime, she was worried that no one would be at her office to receive the package. She called a colleague to confirm if they were at work and if they had seen anyone deliver the goods. She was told that no one had delivered the package. At this point, Ms. Truc realized she had been scammed, but the delivery driver continued to call, insisting that the goods had been delivered and requesting her to transfer the money to the account number sent via text message.
Using a similar tactic, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tinh, residing in Bao An ward (Phan Rang - Thap Cham city), frequently shops online. On May 28th, while having coffee with a friend, she received a phone call informing her that a 320,000 VND order had been delivered. The person claiming to be the delivery driver then asked Ms. Tinh where she was to deliver the order, but in reality, no order had been delivered. Since Ms. Tinh was not home, the driver said the order had been left inside the door and sent her a bank account number for her to transfer the money. Without suspicion, Ms. Tinh immediately transferred the money. When she returned home, she found no delivery and realized she had been scammed. She tried calling the delivery phone number but couldn't reach them, and she couldn't find them on Zalo either because she had been blocked from searching.
The cases mentioned above are just two of the many situations consumers encounter when shopping online. Notably, recently, there have been a series of online hotel, resort, and homestay booking scams, especially during the summer vacation season when many families are planning trips . These scams are becoming increasingly complex, causing significant financial losses. The perpetrators use websites and Facebook pages that closely resemble the websites and fan pages of hotels, resorts, and homestays. To increase their "credibility," they run ads for Facebook pages with tens of thousands of followers, including hotline numbers for contact and consultation, creating fake comments praising the impersonating pages, and offering attractive promotional deals. Thanks to this, these fake Facebook pages easily attract customers to contact them for advice and transfer deposits.
Recently, Mr. Nguyen Van Ba, a tourist from Hanoi, planned a trip to Ninh Thuan in early June. He searched for hotels and homestays on Facebook and found a Fanpage called “Homestay Chanh Ranh” in Vinh Hy village, Vinh Hai commune (Ninh Hai district) with many interactions and beautiful room photos. He messaged to book a room for 1.7 million VND. After being instructed to send his name, phone number, and check-in date, the fanpage sent a booking form requesting a deposit of 850,000 VND. Upon checking the booking form, he found that it listed a company name but had a red stamp from the Department of Tourism below. Suspicious, Mr. Ba called an acquaintance in Ninh Thuan to verify the “Homestay Chanh Ranh” Fanpage and learned that it was completely fake.
In another case, Mr. Le Tien Nam, from Kinh Dinh ward (Phan Rang - Thap Cham city), was preparing for a trip to Binh Thuan . Fearing the crowds of tourists during the summer, he searched for hotels online and booked rooms for his family in advance. After transferring the deposit, he received a message notifying him of an incorrect transfer and instructing him to click a link to get his money back. As a result, all the money was deducted from his account after he followed the instructions.
These online scams serve as a stark warning about the importance of vigilance and caution when shopping online and dealing with other forms of online fraud. To avoid falling victim to scams, consumers need to be wary of calls and messages requesting money transfers or personal information. When shopping online, choose reputable e-commerce sites, carefully verify seller information, and do not transfer money before receiving the goods. Do not follow requests or instructions to transfer money to scammers for reasons such as incorrect messaging syntax or money being held up in the system. Thoroughly research information, check the transparency of the Fanpage, choose reputable travel and tour service providers, and book accommodations through available apps. After verifying contact information, carefully review the booking and cancellation policies, and request hotel confirmation.
Online shopping offers many conveniences but also carries significant risks. Consumers need to be vigilant to recognize scams. They should choose reputable online retailers and absolutely avoid transferring money without proper verification. Furthermore, authorities need to strengthen public awareness campaigns and strictly punish fraudulent activities to protect consumer rights and maintain trust in e-commerce.
Hong Nguyet
Source: https://baoninhthuan.com.vn/news/153429p1c30/canh-giac-lua-dao-khi-mua-hang-online.htm
![[Image] Nguyen Tat Thanh Street is expected to be widened, reducing traffic congestion.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/03/24/1774326200262_ndo_br_3-6869-jpg.webp)
Comment (0)