Vietnam police warn of malicious apps and image scams on social media
Police in Thuận Hạnh commune, Lâm Đồng province cautioned the public about sophisticated cyber‑fraud schemes in which perpetrators masquerade as social‑security or health officials. They send suspicious links ending in ".apk" or ".govvvn.com" that prompt victims to install fake applications, often labeled as an "electronic social‑security card." Once installed, the malware can read OTP codes, access contacts, and steal banking credentials, enabling unauthorized money transfers. Authorities urged people to delete any such apps immediately, to download the legitimate VssID app only from Google Play or the Apple App Store, and never to share passwords, OTPs or biometric data.
In a separate warning, police in Khánh Hưng commune, Cà Mau province advised against sending certain images through Zalo, Messenger, Telegram or similar platforms to unknown recipients. Scammers frequently impersonate police, prosecutors or courts, claiming the victim is involved in drug, money‑laundering or tax cases and demanding money transfers, OTPs or the installation of counterfeit apps. The police stressed that they never contact citizens by phone to request such information. Across Vietnam, victims have lost amounts ranging from a few million to billions of dong after a single phone call or link click, highlighting the growing threat of high‑tech fraud.
Entities: Cà Mau province · Khánh Hưng commune, Cà Mau province · Messenger · Telegram · Thuận Hạnh commune, Lâm Đồng province · Vietnam Police · VssID app · Zalo
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Scammers impersonate police, prosecutors or courts, claiming victims are linked to drug, money‑laundering or tax cases and demanding money transfers, OTPs or app installation. (Vietnam police)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The fraudulent apps are distributed via links ending in .apk or .govvvn.com and can read OTP codes, access contacts and steal banking credentials. (Vietnam police)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Police in Thuận Hạnh commune, Lâm Đồng province warned that scammers impersonate social‑security and health officials to lure victims into installing malicious apps. (Vietnam police)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Police in Khánh Hưng commune, Cà Mau province warned against sending certain images via Zalo, Messenger, Telegram to strangers. (Vietnam police)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Victims are advised to download the official VssID app only from Google Play for Android or the App Store for iPhone. (Vietnam police)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Across Vietnam, fraud cases have resulted in losses ranging from a few million to billions of dong after a single phone call, message or link. (Vietnam police)