Vietnam Police Warn of SIM‑Hijacking Scam Targeting Digital Transactions

The Phú Thọ provincial police in Vietnam have warned that criminals are using a sophisticated SIM‑hijacking method to steal money from digital banking and e‑wallet users. The scheme begins with the collection of personal data such as full name, ID number, birth date and address through data‑selling groups, phishing links or oversharing on social media. Attackers then impersonate the victim, report the SIM as lost and obtain a replacement SIM from the carrier, or trick the victim into sending a code that switches the SIM to a new device. With control of the victim’s phone number, they register a fake biometric profile, request password resets and receive OTP codes directly on the hijacked SIM, allowing them to bypass facial‑recognition or fingerprint checks and take full control of bank accounts.

Police advise the public to follow three “don’t” rules – never share sensitive personal documents online, never follow strangers’ instructions over the phone, and never click suspicious links – and three “do” rules – lock the SIM immediately if service is unexpectedly lost, set a PIN on the SIM, and use alternative two‑factor authentication methods such as authenticator apps instead of SMS OTPs.