Woman arrested for AI-generated fake bank messages fraud in Ca Mau
A woman in Ca Mau province, Vietnam used artificial intelligence to create fake bank messages appearing to show loan approvals and disbursements in order to deceive a victim into lending her over 444 million Vietnamese dong. Police arrested and detained her in September 2026 after the victim discovered the fraudulent messages when checking with the bank.
What happened
In early September 2025, Lưu Thị Như Băng (born 2001, residing in Phú Tân commune, Ca Mau province) needed money to repay debts and for personal expenses. Băng told a woman named L.K.L. that she had been approved for a loan with insurance coverage from a bank and needed money for travel costs and documentation fees while the bank had not yet disbursed the funds.
To gain the victim's trust, Băng used AI to create fake bank messages showing that the loan had been disbursed. She showed these messages to the victim and promised to repay the money once she withdrew the funds, then asked to borrow additional money. From 9 September 2025 to 4 November 2025, Băng repeatedly used AI to generate false information to borrow money from the victim, obtaining a total of 444 million Vietnamese dong through multiple bank transfers and cash payments.
On 4 November 2025, the victim visited the bank to verify the status of the claimed loan and discovered that Băng had never actually applied for a loan, but had provided false information to borrow the money.
Reported impact
The victim lost 444 million Vietnamese dong through the fraudulent scheme.
Index analysis
The AI system was used to generate synthetic bank messages, a form of deepfake text designed to appear as authentic communications from a financial institution.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.