Hundreds lose billions in Instagram 'authentic' Chanel, Louis Vuitton bag scam

Investigators said Friday that since August 2022, Nguyen Duc Quan, 28, ran two Instagram accounts, "suu.authentic" and "authentic.atluxe," filled with glossy product photos and tempting discounts. He promised customers the bags were genuine imports but could be sold at a fraction of the retail price.

Once a buyer agreed, Quan allegedly demanded full payment or a large deposit upfront. Many victims say that after transferring the money, they were blocked on all platforms. In some cases, Quan is accused of sending low-quality counterfeits in place of the promised luxury goods, then cutting off all contact when customers tried to complain.

According to police, the scheme duped hundreds of people and netted Quan more than VND6 billion (US$240,000).