BỖNG DƯNG TIỀN 'TỪ TRÊN TRỜI RƠI XUỐNG' TÀI KHOẢN, MUỐN TRẢ LẠI NHƯNG SỢ LỪA ĐẢO, PHẢI LÀM SAO?/ MON

A stranger suddenly transferred several million Vietnamdong into my account. Then, they kept texting and calling, asking me to return the money. I’m afraid this might be a fraud scheme.

A reader shared that they had heard many similar stories and even personally received several million Vietnamdong in their account unexpectedly, followed by messages asking them to return the money. “Although I  want to return, I’m afraid this could be an online scam. What should I do?”, the reader asked.

Lawyer Tran Hau – Association Bar of Da Nang City, explained:

According to Article 579 of the Civil Code 2015 on the obligation to return property, a person possessing or using another person’s property unlawfully must return the property to its owners and holders of other property-related rights.

If the lawful owners and holders of other property-related rights of such property are not able to be found, the property must be delivered to a competent authority.

In this case, you may report to the local police agency where you reside.

Beside, according to point d, clause 2, Article 20 of Circular no. 17/2024/TT-NHNN, account holders have obligation to refund or cooperate with banks and FBBs in refunding amounts that have been credited to their accounts by mistake.

According to legal regulations, if a person receives money transferred by mistake and deliberately refuses to return, they may face administrative penalties. If the amount is significant, this act could lead to criminal liability.

Therefore, if you receive an accidental transfer into your account, you should immediately contact your bank to verify and process the return or report it to the local police agency for assistance in returning the funds.

In reality, some scammers intentionally transfer money to other’s bank accounts to coerce them into usury or trick them into following instructions that ultimately lead to account takeover.

As a result, account holders who receive mistaken transfers need to be extremely cautious to avoid scams. If this unexpectedly happens, you should verify the sender’s information, figure out the reason why they have your bank account number, and keep a record of the transaction history.

The best approach is to contact your bank directly for clear guidance on returning the money with proper verification.

Specifically, to avoid fraud, you never return the money or take any transactions based on instructions from unknown individuals via messages or phone calls.

In summary, there are two ways to return money received by mistake. First, contact the bank for verification and processing. Second, report the matter to the local competent police agency for investigation and return procedures. Following these steps helps prevent legal risks and protects you from potential fraud. 

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