Three South Koreanscam suspects arrested in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo by Read/Bao Nam
Three South Korean fugitives accused of running a deepfake-driven romance scam network have been arrested in Da Nang, ending a months-long chase across Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.
Vietnamese police say the trio: Choi Minsu, 26; Choi Jinwoo, 25; and Seo Jaeseok, 28, allegedly operated out of the Bavet complex on the Cambodia–Vietnam border, a notorious hub where cyber-scam syndicates have flourished in recent years.
Investigators in South Korea accuse them of building an elaborate “love trap” system powered by deepfake software: the suspects created realistic female personas, courted male victims online and slowly folded them into what they described as “paid travel missions.”
Victims were told they would have their flights, hotels and meals fully covered, and that the money would be reimbursed after completing the “task.” Once emotionally invested, many agreed. According to Korean authorities, the men then escorted victims to Vietnam or Thailand before moving them across the border into Cambodia.
That’s where the façade collapsed. Case files say victims had their passports seized, were locked inside scam compounds and forced to memorize scripted dialogue for large-scale online fraud operations, the same type of forced labor that regional governments and NGOs have repeatedly warned about. Between August and December 2024 alone, investigators estimate the group stole around US$1 million.
When Cambodian police began tightening pressure on scam compounds this year, the three suspects fled. In mid-October 2025, Da Nang authorities received notice that all three had active Interpol Red Notices for fraud, organized crime and human trafficking, and were believed to be hiding in the city.
Vietnam’s Immigration Management Division traced them to a small hotel in An Hai Ward.
On Oct. 28, plainclothes officers, mobile-police units and local ward police coordinated a rapid nighttime raid, surrounding the building before moving in. The suspects were arrested without resistance.
On Dec. 4, Da Nang Police formally handed the men over to South Korean officials, who flew them back the same night. Korean authorities say the trio could face sentences of up to life imprisonment, depending on the final charges.
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