Policy paper

MoU between the government of the United Kingdom and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on cooperation to combat the threat of international fraud

Published 3 November 2025

The Home Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Ministry of Public Security of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam hereafter referred to individually as ‘Participant’ and collectively as ‘Participants’:

Having regard for the cooperative relationship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and desiring to strengthen bilateral cooperation to combat the threats posed to our national security by international fraud;

Recognising that fraud and scam centres operating in Southeast Asia represent a significant threat to the people, prosperity and security of Viet Nam and the United Kingdom;

Confirming the desirability of bilateral cooperation to tackle the fraud threat, both domestically and internationally;

Recalling ASEAN and dialogue partner-led initiatives to combat the threats posed by scam centres;

Have reached the following understanding:

1: Objective

The objective of this Memorandum of Understanding (‘MoU’) is that Participants confirm their intention to promote bilateral cooperation and the exchange of information and best practice to combat fraud.

This MoU is in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of each country and is made on the basis of the respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, noninterference in each other’s domestic affairs, equality and mutual benefit.

2: Scope of cooperation

The Participants, within their competence and in accordance with national laws of each country and international treaties to which each country is a Party, will cooperate in the following areas of common interest to counter the fraud threat:

1. Working effectively in partnership against the shared threat of fraud;

2. Building capabilities to tackle fraud at source and coordinate an effective response;

3. Establishing a mechanism on exchanging data and intelligence both strategically and tactically to allow a greater understanding of the threat posed by fraud and enable effective interventions;

4. Training and building capacity of law enforcement, policy advice (e.g., fraud strategy development) and effective fraud prevention and awareness campaigns.

3: Areas of cooperation

Activities of cooperation, falling within the scope of Paragraph 2, may take but are not limited to the following forms:

Information sharing

The Participants will exchange information in relation to fraud, including their domestic threat, emerging trends and performance information to measure the success of their collective efforts.

Law enforcement

The Participants will explore opportunities for further Jaw enforcement collaboration, including but not limited to intelligence sharing, verification, investigation, the apprehension of transnational criminals, the recovery of assets related to international fraud crimes and joint operations.

Policy

The Participants will mutually support the development of respective national fraud strategies, including exchange of frameworks, best practice and lessons learned and engagement with the private sector.

Multilateral engagement

The participants will champion the development of international norms and standards on fraud to ensure consistent global enforcement and asset recovery actions and to facilitate greater international collaboration on a cross-border threat. This will include actively supporting for ASEAN’s Central Role, participating in and endorsing initiatives of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC), including efforts to strengthen regional cooperation in combating fraud and scams.

4: Global commitments and alignment

The Participants acknowledge the importance of aligning bilateral efforts with global initiatives to combat fraud. The Participants will work collectively to raise global standards and support for the outcomes of the Global Fraud Summit co-hosted by the United Nations on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL). The Participants commit to send a delegation to the Summit and to contribute to and benefit from the Summit’s three objectives:

1. Political prioritisation of tackling fraud through international pledges;

2. Strengthening the international law enforcement response;

3. Supporting the establishment of a multilateral mechanism to oversee the global fraud response.

5: Plan of action

This MoU will be supplemented by an underlying Plan of Action. This will detail the practical areas of cooperation and collaboration that the Participants will aim to pursue during this Partnership. The Action Plan will be updated by way of mutual consent between the Participants on an ad-hoc basis.

6: Bilateral engagement

The Participants of this MoU commit to regular bilateral engagements in order to advance their shared interests in tackling fraud, to provide forums for the exchange of views and information and to review their cooperation and delivery under this MoU.

The engagements will be participated in by representatives of the Participants’ respective cyber security, policing and policy institutions. The Participants will consult each other on the agenda of all bilateral engagements on tackling fraud through focal points as provided in Paragraph 7 of this MoU, including the agreement of locations and times.

7: Methods of cooperation

All activities or cooperation under this MoU will be conducted in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations of each respective country, subject to each country’s plans, priorities and requirements.

All activities of cooperation under Paragraph 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of this MoU will be subject to the availability of funds and other resources of the Participants. The cost of activities of cooperation will be decided in advance by the Participants.

The Participants will approve the following focal points for the implementation of this MoU:

For Viet Nam Ministry of Public Security: The Department of Foreign Relations.

For the UK Home Office: Fraud Policy Unit, Homeland Security Group.

8: Settlement of disputes

Any dispute arising out of the interpretation and implementation of this MoU will be settled amicably by the Participants through mutual consultations and negotiations through the designated focal points.

Disputes will not be referred to any third party, court, or international tribunal.

9: Confidentiality

Each Participant will have equal benefits to protect any information, technology, or data exchanged under this MoU.

Neither Participant is allowed to disclose nor distribute to any third country / party, any information transmitted by the other Participant in the process of activities of cooperation under this MoU, unless authorised in writing to do so by that other Participant.

The Participants will provide appropriate protection for the confidentiality of the information, technology, or data in accordance with their respective applicable national law.

10: Amendments

The Participants may at any time amend this MoU.

Such amendment will be initiated in writing through the designated focal points and will be in effect by mutual written consent of the Participants.

11: Legal status of the MoU

1. This MoU is an agreement between the Ministry of Public Security of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Home Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It governs relevant matters in accordance with the functions, duties, and powers of each Participant as stipulated by their respective national laws, and does not create any legal obligations for the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The MoU is not a treaty, and does not create, alter or terminate the rights and obligations of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland under international laws.

2. Each Participant reserves the right to refuse, in whole or in part, a request for cooperation from the other Participant in any of the following circumstances:

(i) The cooperation would violate or potentially violate that Participant’s national sovereignty;

(ii) The cooperation would pose or potentially pose a threat to national security;

(iii) The cooperation would be detrimental to national interests;

(iv) The cooperation would be contrary to the applicable national laws of that Participant.

In such cases, the refusing Participant will promptly notify the other Participant in writing through the designated focal point responsible for implementing this MoU.

12: Time of validity and termination

1. This MoU will come into operation on signature and will continue in operation for 5 years thereafter, or until terminated by either Participant giving six months’ written notice to the other.

2. This MoU may be extended at any time within the period it remains in effect by mutual written consent of the Participants.

3. Any intent to terminate or extend this MoU should be communicated through the designated focal points.

Signed in London on 29 October 2025, in duplicate in the Vietnamese and English languages, all texts having equal validity.

On behalf of:

The Home Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Secretary of State

[signed]

The Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP

On behalf of:

The Ministry of Public Security of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Minister

[signed]

General Luong Tam Quang

Annex A: Plan of action

1. Information sharing:

a) Both Participants to exchange information in relation to fraud, including offending figures, typologies, enablers, emerging trends and victim profiles.

b) Both Participants to facilitate better understanding the fraud threat, including potentially facilitating joint research and studies.

2. Law enforcement collaboration:

a) Both Participants explore opportunities for joint law enforcement collaboration (both intelligence and criminal justice), increasing intelligence for a range of disruptions.

b) Both Participants to collaborate on establishing training and skills needs and sharing of best practice across ASEAN, subject to funding.

3. Policy:

a) Promote community-based awareness campaigns in vulnerable regions, leveraging both UK and Vietnamese expertise.

b) Both Participants to share lessons learnt on tackling illicit finance vulnerabilities enabling fraud.

4. ASEAN regional engagement:

Actively participate in ASEAN-led initiatives, including the ASEAN Money Laundering Working Group and ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) Open Consultations, to promote regional coordination.

5. Coordination:

a) The Ministry of Public Security and the Home Office coordinates activities under this MoU.

b) Participants to support each other on issues relating to fraud at multilateral fora.

c) Participants agree to meet on a regular basis to track progress of this MoU.

6. Global standards:

a) Actively engage with the implementation of the Global Fraud Summit’s outcomes.

b) Promote the integration of anti-fraud measures into broader international security and development agendas, recognising the impact of fraud on the global financial system, community resilience and enabling illicit financial flows.