Vietnam warns merchants of fake payment speaker scam targeting IoT devices

Vietnamese authorities have identified a new fraud scheme that exploits payment announcement speakers connected to Wi‑Fi or Bluetooth. Criminals broadcast false messages such as “Payment received” or “Transaction successful,” leading shop owners to release goods before confirming funds in their bank app. The tactic targets IoT devices with default passwords or unsecured networks.

Police in Cà Mau province stress that a single lapse can cause financial loss for small businesses and advise merchants to verify transactions directly on banking applications, change default device passwords, use strong Wi‑Fi credentials and keep firmware updated.