Beyond digital deception, the criminals showed extreme audacity by sending someone directly to the victim’s home to collect VND20 million in cash, highlighting a dangerous shift from online fraud to direct physical confrontation.

D.B.T., who lives in Yen Hoa ward and works at a university in Hanoi, told VietNamNet on the afternoon of January 21 that her family was still in shock after her mother-in-law became the victim of a sophisticated scam carefully orchestrated both online and in real life.

According to T., her mother-in-law, nearly 80, does not use bank accounts and only relies on Zalo and Facebook to stay in touch with family members. After her phone was hacked, the scammers quietly monitored all messages and family relationships, learned her daily routines, and understood her affection for her children and grandchildren, especially a grandson studying in the US.

Using the information collected, the suspects created a fake Facebook account impersonating the grandson and then used an AI-generated video call, claiming he urgently needed money to buy a computer for his studies. They cited a “golden promotion hour,” saying the opportunity would be lost if the purchase was not made immediately, constantly pressuring her to create panic.

Out of love for her grandson, the elderly woman believed him. The first time, the scammer requested VND20 million, but she only had VND8 million. Since she did not know how to perform bank transfers, a stranger directly came to her house to collect the cash.

Shortly after, the culprit continued messaging, saying the amount was only enough for a deposit and requested her to borrow more to "keep the promotion slot." Caring for her grandson, the woman borrowed an additional VND12 million from other elderly neighbors in the ward and handed it over to the scammer.

Not stopping there, the culprit set up a new script that the grandson found a better machine, cheaper but he still needed VND20 million more" and continuously urged her to remit the amount of money, creating time pressure that left her confused.

She decided not to call her daughter-in-law for fear of interrupting her teaching, nor did she call her son because the fake Facebook account had messaged her beforehand: "Mom, just give him the money, I'm in a meeting, don't worry, it's fine."

Notably, the scammer knew that around 17:30 (on January 19), T.'s husband would finish work, so they constantly pressured her to hand over the money before the "sale ended." Just as she was preparing to borrow more, Ms. T. and her husband arrived home. Noticing the appearance of relatives, the culprit immediately retreated.

Highly sophisticated scam tactics

According to T., she wanted to share this story to warn the community, especially the elderly, the group of people easily targeted through their love for their children and grandchildren. "Scams no longer just stop online; they now dare to come directly to the house to take cash," T. said.

The family also hopes that relatives and neighbors will not blame or ask questions that could weigh heavily on her mother-in-law's spirit. All the money the grandmother borrowed from the neighborhood was repaid by T. and her husband on the morning of January 20. The family also warned other elderly residents not to lend each other money to avoid similar risks.

"For my family, her health and psychological state right now are more important than anything else," T. shared. The family reported the case to the police on the evening of January 19, hoping not only to recover the assets but also to help authorities catch the scam group and prevent other victims.

The Yen Hoa Ward Police confirmed the incident and stated they are currently reviewing, tracking, and investigating the case according to regulations.

According to the ward police, this was an extremely audacious fraud scheme. In response, authorities are continuing to strengthen public awareness campaigns on scam methods and tactics so people can proactively protect themselves.

Parents need to equip their children with social knowledge and life skills, while also supporting and guiding grandparents and elderly parents in using technology, identifying, and resolutely refusing calls with signs of fraud.

People should remain calm, refrain from providing personal information, and not transfer money as requested via phone or social media. In particular, when suspicious, citizens need to directly contact local authorities for verification.

Tien Dung