Foreigner detained for online swindling
A Nigerian national named Okoye Uchenna, 36 years old, has been taken into custody for appropriating property through online swindle, the police in Can Tho City said on July 17.
The police also arrested his accomplice 51 year-old Vo Thi Xuan Hong, residing in Bien Hoa city, Dong Nai province.
The case started with a complaint lodged on March 27 by a 45 year-old Vietnamese woman, who said she was cheated by an online friend named Piero Dwain into sending money to a bank account under the name of Vo Thi Xuan Hong in early March.
According to the woman’s account, she came to know Piero Dwain via the internet, who said he wanted to do business in Vietnam and marry her. On March 26, Dwain phoned her, saying that he had arrived at the airport.
However, a man phoned her 20 minutes later, saying that he was a Malaysian policeman and Dwain had been detained for carrying 600,000 GBP. He demanded a fine of US$1,600 and then US$3,600, to be paid to a Techcombank account of holder Vo Thi Xuan Hong, in order for Dwain to be released.
After sending the money, the woman could not contact both numbers, so she reported her case to the Can Tho police.
Investigation led the police to Okoye Uchenna who was residing at Nha Be district, Ho Chi Minh City. He admitted that he played as Piero Dwain to cheat the Vietnamese woman.
Legal proceedings have also been launched against the Nigerian and his accomplice Hong.
The case is still under further investigation.