Vietnamese police warn of sophisticated phone and digital scams

Police in Vietnam have issued warnings regarding increasingly sophisticated telephone and digital scams. Authorities in Gia Lai and Hung Yen provinces report a rise in “missed call” tactics, where unknown numbers (such as those starting with 022, 024, or 028) ring for only one to three seconds before disconnecting.

These short calls are used to verify active phone numbers, collect voice samples for analysis, and categorize victims based on age, gender, or alertness. Scammers may use recorded voices to impersonate acquaintances or charge high telecommunication fees if the recipient calls back. Other common methods include impersonating government officials, bank employees, or delivery services to steal personal information, OTP codes, or money.

Law enforcement advises the public to follow a “three no” principle: do not provide personal or banking information to strangers, do not transfer money without verification, and do not click on suspicious links or install unknown applications. Authorities emphasize that government agencies do not conduct official business or request money transfers via telephone.