Canadian national arrested for alleged immigration fraud totaling nearly $67K

A Vietnamese-Canadian man and his accomplice have been detained in Dong Thap Province, southern Vietnam, for allegedly attempting to scam a family out of VND1.7 billion (US$66,956) under the pretense of facilitating their immigration to Canada.

The suspects, Tang Ha Quoc Huy, 36, a Canadian citizen, and Pham Hai Duc, 34, were apprehended on Sunday after their fraudulent activities were reported.

According to local police, the pair approached a 40-year-old woman from Dong Thap through social media, offering assistance with Canadian immigration to alleviate her family’s financial difficulties. Trusting Huy due to his Canadian citizenship, the woman initially transferred VND350 million as part of the "immigration process."

Her suspicions were raised when Huy and Duc presented her with a photograph of a counterfeit passport and demanded an additional VND350 million. The woman realized something was amiss, as the passport was purportedly issued without her involvement. She reported the scam to authorities, who arrested the duo while they were attempting to collect the second payment.

During interrogation, Huy admitted that, while he holds Canadian citizenship, he has been unemployed and living in Vietnam for the past four years. He confessed that the scam was concocted with Duc to address his financial struggles.

The case highlights the risks of falling victim to immigration-related scams, even involving individuals claiming foreign citizenship.