Vietnam Police Warn of Impersonation Scam Calls

Vietnamese police have issued a warning to citizens who receive phone calls claiming to be from police, banks, social insurance or tax authorities and urging them to install an application. The scam uses links, QR codes or APK files sent during the call; the malicious app requests extensive permissions, can take control of the device, steal login credentials, OTP codes and transfer money from accounts.

Victims are advised to stay calm, verify any request through official hotlines or channels, never install software from unknown sources, and avoid granting accessibility or other high‑level permissions. If a suspicious app has already been installed, users should disconnect from the internet, contact their bank to lock accounts, change passwords and report the incident to police. The fraudulent activity is punishable under Vietnamese decree 174/2026/NĐ‑CP, with fines ranging from 20‑30 million VND for individuals to higher amounts for organizations that fail to remove false information.