Beware of charity voucher scams

In the area of Pham The Hien Street, Binh Dong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, many people were tricked into coming to an address to receive "charity gifts on the occasion of October 20". However, Ms. TKN, the homeowner and representative of KL LLC, affirmed: "At around 10 o'clock this morning, many people holding white and blue tickets came to the company to receive gifts. However, the company had absolutely no announcement or gift distribution program".

The subjects distributed charity coupons with specific times and locations, and forged company names to gain people's trust.

She added that many people said they bought this ticket for 20,000 VND/ticket. “Seeing many uncles and aunts selling lottery tickets, we felt sorry for them so we compensated them for the money they lost and took back the tickets. Up to now, the company has collected quite a lot of tickets,” Ms. N shared.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Xuan, a resident living nearby, said: "Since noon, many people have come to ask me about the address on the ticket. But because many people had come to ask before and found out it was a scam, I told them to go back to save effort. Seeing many uncles and aunts brave the sun to come to receive gifts but in the end had to go home empty-handed, I really feel sorry."

“Here, gifts are only given out on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month or on Lunar New Year. On normal days, rice and food are given out. Notably, when giving out real charity vouchers, the charity workers will never collect money,” added Mr. Hoang Xuan.

Among the victims, Ms. Huong Lien, who sells lottery tickets for a living, recounted: “Yesterday, on my way to sell lottery tickets, I met a young man who gave me a coupon and said to come to the address printed on the coupon the next day (October 20) to receive a gift. He told me to give him some money “as you wish” to pay for gas. I thought they were nice so I gave them 30,000 VND without thinking twice.”

In a similar situation, Ms. Sau Xon, a scrap collector, confided: "On the way to work, I was given a charity gift voucher, but they said I had to pay 20,000 VND to get one voucher. Thinking they were kind, I bought the voucher hoping to receive a gift. Unexpectedly, when I arrived, the homeowner said there was no charity gift distribution program here. Seeing how pitiful I was, the homeowner took pity on me and gave me 40,000 VND to console me."

The scammers printed the tickets very systematically, clearly stating the time, address, and even the name of a fake company. They preyed on the gullibility, trust, and difficult circumstances of the people to profit from every penny, the money that many people had to "sweat and cry" to earn.

Ms. TKN indignantly said: "The fact that the subjects printed the company's home address on charity ballots has seriously affected our family and business."

Many workers braved the sun and cycled to the address to get charity gifts but then returned empty-handed.

“We are honest businessmen, but because many people do not know the facts, it is easy for unnecessary misunderstandings to arise, greatly affecting our reputation and lives,” Ms. N added.

Charity vouchers, which were supposed to be a ticket for sharing, have now become a tool for bad people, hurting both the victims and those with true kindness. When trust is abused, the damage is not only monetary, but also the belief in humanity and kindness in life.

Huyen Tran (News and People Newspaper)

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/canh-giac-voi-chieu-lua-tang-phieu-tu-thien-a192686.html