Vietnamese police warn of QR code scams in fraudulent gift parcels

Vietnamese police have issued a warning regarding a sophisticated scam involving malicious QR codes sent via physical parcels. Exploiting the Mid-Autumn Festival season, fraudsters are sending packages to residential addresses using leaked personal data to make the gifts appear legitimate. These parcels often feature logos of major e-commerce platforms or labels claiming to be loyalty rewards to lower the victims' defenses.

Inside the packages, victims find flyers with QR codes promising vouchers, cash rewards, or gift authentication. Scanning these codes can redirect users to fraudulent websites designed to mimic banking or e-commerce login pages, where they are prompted to enter sensitive information such as ID numbers, usernames, passwords, and OTP codes.

In more advanced scenarios, scammers may pressure victims to download malicious .apk files to claim rewards. These files allow malware to infiltrate devices, enabling criminals to steal personal data, intercept OTP messages, and remotely control phones to withdraw funds. Authorities advise citizens to verify the origin of all packages and avoid scanning unknown QR codes, especially those requesting sensitive information.