Vietnam police warn of Zalo scams impersonating officials

The police in Vietnam have issued warnings nationwide about fraudsters using the Zalo messaging app to impersonate police officers, traffic officials and vehicle‑registration staff. Scammers call from unfamiliar numbers, send friend requests and claim they can resolve traffic violations, "cold‑penalty" tickets or assist with vehicle‑registration documents and integration with the VNeID app. They request personal identification, bank account details, OTP codes and may direct victims to click malicious links or install apps. One reported case in Hanoi involved a victim losing over 122 million VND after following a Zalo account claiming to be a technical staff member. Police stress they never ask for passwords, OTPs or money by phone and that official procedures are handled only through government portals. Citizens are urged to verify any communication through official channels, avoid sharing personal data, and report suspicious contacts to the nearest police station.