Title: “Online Scams Surge in Vietnam: 12,935 Cases Reported in 2022”

Overview

With over 70 million internet users in Vietnam, the country’s IT boom unfortunately attracts unscrupulous individuals committing online scams. In 2022, the Vietnam Information Security Warning Portal recorded a staggering 12,935 online scam cases.

Categories of Online Scams

The reported cases mainly fell into one of two categories:

1. Personal information theft
2. Financial fraud

Prevalent Online Scams in 2022

The following are the three major categories and their respective percentages of online scams in 2022:

1. Brand Counterfeiting: Accounting for 72.6% of all cases
2. Online Account Appropriation: 11.4%
3. Other Types: 16%

Types of Online Scams in 2022

The Vietnam Information Security Warning Portal identified the following 16 distinct types of online scams:

1. Brand Counterfeiting
2. Online Account Appropriation
3. Phishing
4. Fraudulent SMS Messages
5. Fake Websites/Blogs
6. Black Credit Scams
7. Impersonation of State Agencies, Police, and Telecom Carriers
8. Business Impersonation
9. Swindling Information
10. Pity Request Scams
11. Social Media Platform Scams (Facebook, Zalo, Tinder, Telegram)
12. Online Shopping Scams
13. Charity Scams
14. Contests and Lottery Scams
15. Malicious Links and Ads
16. Email Scams

Tactics used by Scammers

Brand Counterfeiting

Scammers impersonated various reputable brands like commercial banks, state agencies, financial and securities companies, and sent fraudulent SMS messages to unsuspecting victims. They also created fake websites or blogs to lure victims into revealing personal information.

Social Network Account Hijacking

Social network accounts, like Zalo, Facebook, and Tiktok, were hijacked to spread fraudulent messages to friends and relatives, enabling scammers to hijack accounts, steal information, and blackmail victims.

‘Black Credit’ Scams

Apps and ads for ‘black credit’ started appearing on various websites and were mass-disseminated via emails, SMS, and social networks, leaving unsuspecting victims in debt.

Impersonation

Scammers impersonated state agencies, police, and telecom carriers, calling victims, claiming they had violated the law and demanded money transfers to specific accounts to pay alleged fines. Telephone numbers with strange prefixes were also used to con unsuspecting victims.

Business Impersonation

Scammers posed as businesses and major local and foreign e-commerce websites, tricking victims into collaborating, spreading false information, and soliciting charitable donations to steal properties. They often lured victims into clicking malicious links.

Other Methods

Other methods included swindling information through tricked victims, making use of their pity on social media platforms, and obtaining phone numbers to gain access to accounts and properties.

Staying Safe Against Online Scams

As Vietnam’s digital landscape continues to evolve, staying vigilant against online scams is crucial. Users are advised to:

1. Verify the legitimacy of SMS messages, emails, and websites
2. Use strong passwords and keep them confidential
3. Install anti-malware software
4. Be suspicious of unsolicited calls and messages
5. Watch out for phishing scams and never click on suspicious links
6. Avoid sharing personal information online
7. Block unknown numbers and unverified emails
8. Keep software up-to-date
9. Use secure payment methods
10. Be cautious when clicking on ads online.