Customs warns people trick of impersonating customs officer to sell liquidated products

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Nguyen Thi Hanh who impersonates customs officers, is arrested by HCM City Police on September 27.

In recent two months, enforcement authorities have arrested two women for impersonating customs officers to defraud and appropriate people's property. These violators impersonated customs officers to sell liquidated mobile phones and cars to people.

On September 27, the Investigation Police Department of District 4 , HCM City Police issued a temporary detention order for Nguyen Thi Hanh (51, residing Tan Thong Hoi Commune, Cu Chi District, HCM City) for fraud and appropriation of other people's property. Hanh impersonated a customs officer and contacted with people who have a lot of property to commit fraud and appropriation.

During the investigation, the Investigation Police Department identified that in order to commit the crime, Hanh bought and regularly wear the uniform of the Customs sector and posted her pictures on social networks, thereby getting acquainted and creating trust with many victims.

According to HCM City Police, Hanh visited high-end apartment rental brokerage websites to find tenants; and pretended to see the apartment but in reality to create relationships and trust with the victims.

Then, Hanh introduced herself as a Customs officer at Tan Son Nhat Airport, during her working performance, many shipments of iPhone mobile phones, which will be resold for a profit of several million VND/phone. With tricks, Hanh defrauded and appropriated VND110 million from Ms. V.T.T.T. (born in 1995).

After receiving information about the police arresting Hanh, many victims reported to the police accusing Hanh of fraud and appropriation of property, including victims who were defrauded of billions of VND.

Earlier, the Criminal Police Department, Bac Giang Provincial Police discovered a suspect for “Fraudulent appropriation of property” by posting articles on social networks with the content of impersonating a customs officer, and may buy cheap cars and then appropriated the buyer's deposit. After investigating the suspect, on August 15, in Ward 10, Go Vap District, HCM City, the enforcement authority arrested the suspect for “Fraudulent appropriation of property”.

The investigation results showed that Chu Thi Hang did not have a job and had a criminal record for “Theft of property”. Hang posted many articles on social networks such as Zalo, TikTok with the content of impersonating a customs officer managing the warehouse of the HCM City Customs Department, and provided false information about buying a car at a lower price than the listed market price.

From June 2023 until her arrest, Hang appropriated the deposit worth more than VND4.6 billion of many people. The Investigation Police Department continues to expand the investigation and strictly handle the case under provisions of the law.

A few years earlier, HCM City Police also arrested Nguyen Tat Dat, born in 1991, working as a security guard but saying to be a customs officer of HCM City Customs Department with a liquidated shipment of 11 iPhone mobile phones for sale at VND165 million to defraud Ms. N.P.T. Ms. N.P.T deposited VND50 million to buy the products and was given a document by Dat confirming that Ms. N.P.T was allowed to buy the liquidated products. When Dat asked Ms. N.P.T. to give him VND80 million deposit at a coffee shop in District 1. Suspecting that Dat was not a customs officer, Ms. T. asked someone to arrest him and hand him over to the police.

Huynh Huu Tung Nhan is arrested by An Giang Police on September 7, 2024.

Some suspects also used tricks to defraud and sell liquidated cars of the Customs to appropriate billions of dong from the people. On September 7, the Investigation Police Department, An Giang Police prosecuted the case and issued an arrest warrant and a search warrant for Huynh Huu Tung Nhan (born in 1992, residing in Long Thi D hamlet, Long Thanh ward, Tan Chau town, An Giang province) for “Fraudulent appropriation of property”.

As a result of the investigation, the police determined that Huynh Huu Tung Nhan introduced Ms. Tran Thi My Thu (born in 1994, residing in Vinh Long province) to buy motorbikes and cars liquidated by the Customs. From February 2020 to February 19, 2023, Thu transferred over VND1.79 billion to Nhan to buy cars. In fact, Nhan did not buy cars and motorbikes from the Customs. After receiving the money, Nhan gave many different reasons for not delivering the cars to Thu as promised, and appropriated about VND1.79 billion.

Also by the tricks, Nhan appropriated about VND235 millions of Mr. Dinh Van Che (born in 1991, residing in An Phu District, An Giang province), and VND145 million of Mr. Luu Chi Dai. Nhan defrauded over VND2 billion of three victims.

According to an officer of HCM City Customs Department, as per regulations, when liquidating assets that are evidence in cases seized by the Customs, it will be implemented by auction, and not allowed to be sold in the market. People need to be more vigilant, avoid being defrauded, and lost money.