Police in southern Vietnam's An Giang Province have dismantled an alleged criminal network that impersonated five-star hotels and resorts on Phu Quoc Island to defraud customers booking accommodation online. Transactions through 229 related bank accounts exceeded VND6 trillion (US$231 million).
An Giang Provincial Police said the network had created fake social media pages and websites impersonating hotels and resorts on Phu Quoc, a special administrative zone known for tourism.
Colonel Nguyen Nhat Truong, deputy director of An Giang Provincial Police and head of its investigative police agency, said the Criminal Police Division and the Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention Division detected the organised group in April 2026.
The suspects allegedly bought online advertisements and artificial engagement to make their pages appear credible and attract customers looking for accommodation on Phu Quoc. They then persuaded victims to transfer deposits before cutting off contact and taking the money.
Police later launched a specialised investigation. On July 10, the task force arrested four suspects.
As of October 13, investigators had initiated legal proceedings against 10 defendants and ordered their detention, while placing another suspect in temporary custody. Authorities also temporarily suspended exit procedures for 12 people and continued investigating the roles of other possible participants.
Investigators reviewed 229 bank accounts linked to the case. Total transactions exceeded VND6 trillion. The figure represents the value of transactions through the accounts and does not necessarily correspond to the amount of money stolen.
The investigation also identified 60 victims. Police said 17 of them had transferred a combined sum of billions of dong to accounts registered under KOKOSA Company, which the suspects allegedly used to receive payments.
Beyond fraudulent accommodation bookings, the group allegedly used other schemes involving tuition fees, insurance sales and a programme called 'Young Pilot'.
The investigative police agency has initiated proceedings in three additional criminal cases linked to the alleged scams for further investigation and handling in accordance with the law.
An Giang Provincial Police said the suspects had established shell companies and opened bank accounts in the names of legal entities to make their operations appear legitimate. By combining these corporate identities with fabricated online information, they made it more difficult for customers to verify the advertised services.
An Giang Provincial Police said the investigation was continuing to identify other possible participants and clarify the alleged offences.
Phu Quoc welcomed 8 million tourists in 2025. In the first nine months of 2025, the island had already received nearly 8.6 million visitors.
Sources: Viet Nam News
