Vietnam faces surge in online travel and QR‑code scams costing millions

Vietnamese police warn that sophisticated online scams are targeting travelers and small online sellers, resulting in losses of tens of millions of đồng. Fraudsters create fake hotel and travel agency websites, offer deep discounts of 40‑70 %, and pressure victims to pay deposits and additional fees. They also impersonate airline staff and send malicious links that can install malware or steal banking credentials.

A separate scheme uses malicious QR codes circulated to sellers on social‑media marketplaces. When scanned, the code executes commands that transfer money out of the victim’s bank account, as illustrated by a case in which a seller lost more than 7 million đồng after scanning a QR code sent by a fraudster posing as an overseas buyer. Police advise the public not to scan QR codes from unknown sources, to verify transactions only through official banking apps, and to report any suspicious activity immediately.