By Dac Thanh
Authorities in Vietnam’s central province of Quang Nam have arrested two foreign nationals, Lim Jian Wing, a 27-year-old from Malaysia, and Wang RuiJie, a 34-year-old from China, for stealing credit card information and using it to purchase electronics. The suspects now face serious charges of property appropriation through the misuse of computer and telecommunications networks.
Lim and Wang are accused of traveling to Vietnam and executing a scheme to illegally obtain credit card information from unsuspecting victims. Rather than withdrawing cash, they used the stolen credit card details to buy expensive phones, laptops, and other electronics, which they then resold for cash.
In a particularly notable incident on July 24, the duo posed as bank employees to steal the credit card information of a man in Quang Ninh Province, in northern Vietnam. Using the stolen data, they purchased two iPhones valued at VND70 million (approximately $2,816) from a shop in Hoi An. However, the transaction raised suspicion with store employees, who subsequently reported the incident to the police.
Upon further investigation, Lim and Wang admitted to carrying out similar fraudulent purchases at multiple shops in Quang Nam and Da Nang throughout June and July, spending over VND500 million in total. Authorities believe the two had been targeting various electronics stores across the region in their illegal activities.
The suspects are currently facing charges related to the appropriation of property through unauthorized use of electronic devices, and authorities continue to investigate their network of fraud.