VietNamNet Bridge – Police in Hanoi have arrested a local man for cheating tens of thousands of people of US$2.7 million by promising to give them cheap tours in exchange for their membership fee payment.

The police seized 53-year-old Lam Quoc Hung, director of Diamond Holiday Dong Nam A Co Ltd, who claimed that his company was an affiliate of the Diamond Holiday Travel (DHT) group in the US on Friday, Feb 24.

Police also searched his company office and his home in Nhan Chinh Ward, Thanh Xuan District.

Hung would be detained for 4 months for investigation, police said.

The man had convinced his victims to pay a membership fee of US$375, which he said would enable members to enjoy cheap foreign tours under a program titled “Travelling and Earning money” organized by the group.

He promised his victims that a bonus of US$1,000 would be given to any member who could bring 14 new members to the program, An Ninh Thu Do newspaper reported

Hung also told his victims that they would stay in 3-5 star hotels during their tours.

Numerous people, who were attracted by Hung’s promises had paid the membership fees to him, but he later almost did not arrange for anyone to travel aboard, police said.

According to initial investigation results, Hung had swindled as many as 73,000 people of $2.7 million.

The police are continuing with their investigation.

VietNamNet/Tuoi Tre