344 citizens repatriated from scam hubs: A wake-up call on “easy job, high pay” schemes

The World and Vietnam Report had a conversation with Mr. Tran Hoang Truc, Provincial Party Member, Secretary of the Party Committee, and Chairman of the People's Council of Loc Thanh Commune, Dong Nai Province, about key solutions, inter-agency coordination, and community mobilization efforts to "block and dismantle" online scam networks, protecting citizens from the ground up.

Mr. Tran Hoang truc, Provincial Party Member, Secretary of the Party Committee, and Chairman of the People's Council of Loc Thanh Commune, Dong Nai Province.

What requirements does the reception of 344 individuals involved in scam activities at Hoa Lu International Border Gate place on the investigation, verification, and strict handling of cross-border online scam networks?

344 Vietnamese citizens involved in online scam activities in Cambodia have returned to the national border. During the reception, authorities from both countries completed the handover procedures, conducted medical checks, and initiated preliminary investigations.

Reportedly, most of those returned were deceived into going to Cambodia for "easy jobs with high payments", but upon arrival, they were coerced by a group wielding electric batons and guns into working for online scam companies.

The reception of a large number of citizens returning from scam "dens" poses a significant challenge to the local political system and functional forces.

At Border marker 69, Vietnam and Cambodia exchanged the handover record of 344 citizens. (Photo: Dong Nai Newspaper)

In my opinion, this task poses three urgent requirements. Firstly, accurate and scientific classification is needed; meaning close coordination with the Police and Border Guard forces to immediately identify who are genuine victims of deception and forced labor, and who are accomplices or "decoys" for criminal organizations. This will help ensure no criminals escape justice while also protecting innocent victims.

Secondly, the requirement for seamless information and data flow from the testimonies of these 344 individuals must be compiled to map out the cross-border scam networks. This is invaluable information for higher-level investigative agencies to target command centers abroad.

Finally, the strictness of the law must be upheld. For brokers and organizers operating domestically, we need to coordinate with judicial authorities for strict prosecution, even conducting mobile trials at border areas to serve as a deterrent and warning to others.

Authorities received 358 Vietnamese citizens returning from Cambodia at the Hoa Lu International Border Gate on March 17.

In your opinion, what solutions should we implement to effectively prevent organizations from exploiting the "easy job, high pay" and "online job search" schemes to lure Vietnamese citizens into illegally crossing borders to scam centers and disguised casinos?

It's not just about handling, classifying, and investigating related individuals; this is also a significant challenge for the grassroots political system in early prevention of sophisticated lures like "easy job, high pay".

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To counter these increasingly sophisticated tactics, in Loc Thanh, we are decisively implementing the "block and dismantle" strategy, tightly managing population movements. The Party Committee has directed village branches and self-management groups to keep a firm grasp on the list of young people of working age.

When there are signs of citizens leaving for work without a clear address or showing signs of communicating with strangers online, organizations like the Youth Union and Women's Union must directly visit homes to investigate and warn.

Particularly, we are "attacking" strongly in cyberspace by coordinating with cybersecurity forces to warn about fraudulent websites and online job-seeking groups. Simultaneously, we are maximizing the use of the commune's Zalo security system to spread warning information to every citizen.

Additionally, a fundamental solution that needs to be quickly implemented is creating local livelihoods. In the Action Program No. 03-CTr/ĐU of the commune's Party Committee for the 2025-2030 term, we aim to prioritize preferential loan sources and vocational training for young people in border areas and ethnic minorities, helping them achieve stable incomes at home instead of hoping for illusory "easy job, high salary" offers.

Coordination among functional forces is tightened to combat and eliminate cross-border scam networks.

How should the coordination between functional forces and propaganda efforts be enhanced to both decisively handle violators and prevent citizens from being lured into online scam activities from the outset?

I always affirm: "Skillful mass mobilization leads to success in any task", especially in border crime prevention. In Loc Thanh, we emphasize the "Coordinated Combat" mechanism, maintaining a tight coordination regime between the Party Committee - People's Council - Police - Border Guard and Military.

Clearly defining that the Border Guard handles the border, the Police handle the interior, and the political system handles the people's sentiments. When there is a crime report from the public, the forces must respond quickly to address it decisively from the grassroots level.

Many victims reported being lured to Cambodia with promises of "easy job, high pay" and then forced into online scams.

We also leverage the role of reputable individuals. Especially in multi-ethnic areas, the voices of village elders and leaders are extremely important. We seek their support to propagate in ethnic languages, helping the community understand the nature of online scams, thereby building a solid "people's defense", preventing bad actors from exploiting and luring them.

The return of 344 citizens not only closes a haunting journey in a foreign land but also presents a significant challenge for domestic crime prevention efforts. Behind the numbers are cautionary tales of trust being traded, of illusory "easy job, high salary" dreams, and the price to pay.

Surely, to stop this type of crime, we cannot rely solely on post-incident handling but need a solid "shield" from the grassroots level, which includes managing people, controlling cyberspace, and building sustainable livelihoods for the people.

When the government, functional forces, and citizens unite, the doors leading to "scam traps" will gradually close, making way for a safer and more vigilant environment against cross-border temptations.

Thank you very much!

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