Even though he called his daughter to confirm immediately and reported it to the police, the large amount of money is still at risk of being unrecoverable, a warning bell about increasingly sophisticated fraud methods targeting family relationships.
Message from "daughter" needing money urgently
Recently, the City Police have warned about the scam of impersonating relatives and friends by taking over Facebook accounts or creating fake accounts with avatars and names similar to those of the victims. However, many people are still not vigilant and fall into the trap of this scam.
Recently, on June 9, 2025, Van Dien Town Police, Thanh Tri District, Hanoi City received a complaint from Ms. X (born in 1972; residing in Thanh Tri, Hanoi) about being scammed out of more than 500 million VND. Ms. X said she received a Messenger message with a nickname and profile picture similar to her daughter's account name who is abroad, asking "mother" to transfer 500 million VND for business. Because she trusted and thought it was her daughter's Facebook, Ms. X transferred money to the account provided by the subject. After that, Ms. X's daughter called to talk, and she realized she had been scammed, so she went to the police station to report it.
Illustrative photo (Photo: Law and Society)
Previously, on the morning of May 22, 2025, Ms. C (68 years old; residing in Long Bien, Hanoi) received a Messenger message with a nickname and profile picture similar to her daughter's account name, asking "mother" to transfer 40 million VND. This account claimed that the bank's SmartBanking application was under maintenance so the money could not be transferred. Because she trusted and thought it was her daughter's Facebook, Ms. C transferred 40 million VND to the account sent with the message. After transferring the money, Ms. C called her daughter and learned that her daughter did not borrow money from her and that the Facebook account was an impersonator. Knowing that she had been scammed, Ms. C went to the police station to report it.
Warning from authorities
To prevent fraud, Hanoi City Police advise people to:
- When receiving a text message or call asking to borrow or lend money, always stay calm and verify, especially calls that say you need money urgently or need to transfer money immediately. Call directly via regular phone number or meet in person to verify.
- Avoid clicking on strange links, even if the sender is someone you know.
- When transferring money, always double-check the bank account information to make sure the recipient's name matches the person you intend to transfer money to.
- Regularly update warning information from authorities to increase vigilance, protect your assets and personal information.
- When encountering cases with signs of fraud, people need to promptly report to the police to prevent and handle according to the provisions of law.
Speaking to reporters of the Knowledge and Life Newspaper , lawyer Nguyen Ngoc Hung - Head of the Ket Noi Law Office (Hanoi Bar Association) said that recently, the situation of subjects impersonating relatives through text messages and phone calls to defraud and appropriate property has become increasingly common. This behavior not only causes economic damage but also makes many people confused, upset, and seriously affects social order and safety.
According to Article 174 of the 2015 Penal Code, fraud is the act of using deceitful means to appropriate another person's property. In the case of impersonating a relative to text, call, or create trust in order to obtain money or property from the victim, this is the crime of fraud. Accordingly, the offender may be sentenced to non-custodial reform for up to 3 years or imprisoned from 6 months to 20 years or life imprisonment. In addition, the offender may also be fined from VND 10,000,000 to VND 100,000,000, banned from holding a position, practicing a profession or doing certain work from 01 year to 05 years or have part or all of the property confiscated.
In cases where the fraudulent act does not constitute a criminal offense, the violator will still be subject to administrative sanctions. Specifically, according to Point c, Clause 1, Article 15 of Decree 144/2021/ND-CP, the act of using fraudulent means or absconding to appropriate property will be subject to a fine of VND 2,000,000 to VND 3,000,000. If the violator is an organization, the fine will be doubled based on Clause 2, Article 4 of this Decree. In addition to the fine, the violator may also be subject to additional penalties and remedial measures, depending on the severity of the violation and the damage caused.
Lawyer Nguyen Ngoc Hung - Head of Ket Noi Law Office (Hanoi Bar Association).
According to the provisions of the Penal Code, the act of impersonating a relative to defraud and appropriate property can be handled under Article 174 on the Crime of Fraudulent Appropriation of Property. In cases where the value of the property misappropriated is large, the offender can be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment, along with additional penalties such as fines, prohibition from holding positions, practicing a profession or confiscation of property.
Notably, if the crime involves the use of technological devices, computer networks, or telecommunications networks, it may also be considered under Article 290 of the Penal Code, Crime of using computer networks, telecommunications networks, or electronic means to appropriate property. This crime stipulates penalties ranging from non-custodial reform to 3 years or imprisonment from 6 months to 20 years, depending on the nature and severity of the violation.
In addition, Clause 1, Article 3 of Decree 25/2014/ND-CP also defines high-tech crimes as criminal law violations that are dangerous to society and are committed using high-tech means and methods. This group of high-tech crimes includes acts prescribed from Article 285 to Article 294 of the Penal Code, mainly in the fields of information technology and telecommunications.
It can be seen that the act of using high technology to appropriate other people's property is one of the criminal elements of a number of crimes under the provisions of the Penal Code. Therefore, the act of using high technology to appropriate property is not an aggravating circumstance.
In cases where the act does not reach the level of criminal prosecution, the violator may still be subject to administrative sanctions. According to Article 81 of Decree 15/2020/ND-CP, the act of using the Internet to commit property appropriation may be subject to an administrative fine of VND 30,000,000 to VND 100,000,000. In addition, the violator may also have the evidence and means of violation confiscated if the violation falls under the provisions of Clause 2, Article 81 of this Decree.
When discovering signs of being defrauded of property, people have the right to file a criminal complaint to request the competent authorities to investigate and handle the case according to the provisions of law. Pursuant to Clause 2, Article 145 of the Criminal Procedure Code and Article 5 of Joint Circular No. 01/2017/TTLT-BCA-BQP-BTC-BNN&PTNT-VKSNDTC, the responsibility for receiving and the authority to handle denunciations and reports of crimes are clearly defined among agencies. At the same time, Clause 4, Article 163 of the Criminal Procedure Code also stipulates the investigative authority of responsible agencies. Accordingly, people can file a complaint or go directly to report to one of the following agencies: The police agency at the district, county, or town level where the people are residing (permanent or temporary); People's Procuracy at all levels; People's Court; Or other competent authorities at the place where the incident occurred, where the crime was discovered or where the suspect resides.
When reporting, the victim should prepare full information, documents, and related evidence (such as text messages, phone calls, money transfer receipts, etc.) to assist the authorities in verifying, investigating, and handling the case. The recovery of the misappropriated property will depend on the results of the investigation and the ability of the police to trace and recover the property. In the event that the suspect is arrested and the property has not been used or dispersed, the victim may be refunded part or all of the misappropriated money. Timely reporting will give the investigating agency more time and conditions to handle the case effectively and increase the possibility of recovering the property. People should not hesitate or delay reporting because it may affect their own legitimate rights.
Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/mat-luon-nua-ty-dong-vi-tin-nhan-con-gai-can-tien-gap-post1548532.html
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