Zalo scam deceives parents of children under 14 in Vietnam

Scammers are exploiting the surge in demand for citizen ID cards and electronic identification accounts for children under 14 in Vietnam. Posing as local police officers, they contact parents via Zalo, claim the child’s e‑ID is faulty or incomplete, and pressure them to act quickly by citing deadlines or directives from superiors.

Victims are urged to add the fraudsters as Zalo friends for "online support," after which they receive links to counterfeit applications that mimic the official VNeID portal. Installing these apps installs malware that silently controls the phone, intercepts OTP messages, and enables unauthorized bank transfers. Vietnamese police stress they never request personal data, OTPs, or bank passwords over the phone and that e‑ID registration must be completed in person at a police station or mobile service point. The public is advised to avoid clicking unfamiliar links and to refrain from installing any non‑official applications.