A 52-year-old man in Hanoi was defrauded of nearly VND 1.6 billion after spending years believing he was in a romantic relationship with a female university student he met on Facebook.
The person behind the account was later identified as Hong Thien An, a 29-year-old resident of Da Nang, Vietnam.
According to investigators, An purchased a Facebook account named “Linh Dan” in 2018 and used fake photos and personal information to pose as a female student.
Danang detective, to gain the victim’s trust, An regularly sent photos, handwritten letters, and fabricated stories.
After establishing an online romantic relationship, An repeatedly claimed to need money for business ventures, investments, or financial difficulties.
Trusting the person he believed to be his girlfriend, the victim transferred money on three separate occasions, totaling nearly VND 1.6 billion between 2018 and early 2022.
Following the victim’s complaint, Da Nang police launched an investigation and quickly identified and arrested An.
During questioning, the suspect admitted to the fraud and stated that the stolen money had been spent on personal expenses.
An has since been charged and placed in temporary detention while the investigation continues.
Vietnam detective service: https://vietnampi.com