Online scams impersonating the Ministry of Public Security and VNPost are infiltrating daily life in Vietnam. These scams use urgent topics like traffic violation fines and package address corrections, employing overseas numbers and messages to mislead recipients into thinking they are receiving official notifications. In response, Vietnamese authorities, along with broadcasting and security experts, are ramping up warnings through a nationwide anti-fraud campaign.
According to local reports from VnExpress and others on August 21, numerous messages impersonating the Ministry of Public Security and VNPost have been identified in Vietnam. The senders use overseas numbers while including phrases and links that resemble official communications, causing recipients to mistake them for legitimate notifications.
“Pay within 48 hours”... Fake notices exploit fear
Messages impersonating the Ministry of Public Security pressured citizens by demanding payment for traffic violation fines. A resident of Hanoi, identified as A, received a text on the morning of August 18 from a number associated with international calls, claiming to be from the Ministry of Public Security. The message stated that his vehicle had violated a traffic signal on August 6 and that he had not yet paid the fine.
The message warned that if the fine was not paid within 48 hours, the penalty would increase by 50% and vehicle documents could be temporarily confiscated. It also included a link for further details and instructed the recipient to reply if the link did not work to receive a new address.
A initially thought the message was from a legitimate agency. He said, “I was quite worried because it was related to a fine,” adding that the link had a ‘gov’ prefix, making it easy to mistake for a government site. However, he realized it was a scam after confirming that the sender's number was international and the domain was not an official government address.
Messages impersonating VNPost followed a similar pattern. They claimed that a package was scheduled for delivery but lacked a specific address for the recipient, urging them to update their personal information. Notably, some cases were reported to have been sent via iMessage to iPhone users.
Experts explain that these messages exploit the recipient's anxiety and urgency. By presenting situations that seem to require immediate attention, such as traffic fines, package deliveries, and account verifications, they reduce the time available for recipients to verify the sender and address. Users who click on the links may be prompted to enter personal or payment information on fake sites, risking their accounts and finances.
Vietnam Faces Growing Fraud Issues, Launches Nationwide Campaign
Online fraud in Vietnam has already resulted in significant social losses. In the first nine months of last year, cumulative losses from online scams exceeded 16.6 trillion dong (approximately $883 million), with around 1,500 cases reported. The State Bank of Vietnam has detected approximately 600,000 suspicious accounts and has issued warnings and blocking measures for transactions totaling 15 trillion dong.
The methods of these scams are becoming increasingly diverse. Criminal organizations impersonate bank call centers, police, and credit agencies to request password changes or information verification. On social media, they lure victims with promises of high returns on investments and illegal cryptocurrencies, while also using AI and deepfake technology to mimic voices or videos to request OTPs and passwords.
Victims are not limited to the elderly or students; even tech-savvy young people are falling prey to sophisticated schemes. Personal data breaches are severe, with reports indicating that 14.5 million accounts have been compromised. Amid this, the state broadcaster VTV9 has launched a nationwide anti-fraud campaign in collaboration with the public security departments of Ho Chi Minh City and Lam Dong Province. This campaign aims to inform citizens about the latest scam tactics and help them identify warning signs.
Public reactions are mixed, with a blend of vigilance and anxiety. One iPhone user noted, “There’s been an increase in iMessage spam,” suggesting that users should enable filtering for unknown senders. Another user questioned, “Isn’t the content verified just because it’s in iMessage rather than SMS?”
Some responses pinpointed the essence of scam messages. One user advised, “The more they rush you to send money or click links, the more you should pause and verify,” adding, “The more urgent they make it, the less urgent I should feel.” Another user emphasized that if messages related to police, traffic fines, or packages request money or personal information, they should first be verified through official channels.
Real-life experiences have also surfaced. One user reported receiving a VNPost message from a '+212 number,' joking, “Did VNPost’s headquarters move to Africa?” Another user recounted receiving a call about a free order, which led to being given a delivery person's Zalo number, and realized it was a scam when asked for a tracking update link.
Experts advise that if messages come from unfamiliar numbers, include short deadlines, and contain suspicious links, recipients should not reply or click. If personal or payment information has already been entered, they should contact their bank and relevant authorities to protect their accounts.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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