AwareNet: Online fraud prevention solution from Foreign Affairs students

Entering season 3 of the New Generation Student 2025 program - where the pressure of "doing it for real, proving it for real" is placed on each idea, the Diplomatic Academy team quickly attracted attention with AwareNet, a project aiming to build a "digital immune system" for Vietnamese users.

The impetus for the team to shape the project idea came from the time when Vietnam and many countries signed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime ( Hanoi Convention). The event is seen as a reminder of the role of young people in protecting a safe, transparent and humane digital space.

New Generation Student Team from Diplomatic Academy. (Source: VTV)

AwareNet was developed from the awareness of the dangerous level of psychological manipulation in the digital environment, which is increasing in both scale and sophistication. Based on practical surveys and user behavior analysis, the five members Nguyen Linh Phuong, Phan Ngoc Minh, Pham Dinh Truong, Tran Thi Thanh Tung and Pham Yen Vi built the project in three layers: identification, explanation and response.

AwareNet's focus is not on simple warnings, but on equipping users with practical defense skills through scenario simulations, interactive content and specific action guides, helping users understand how scams work as well as the psychological weaknesses that are often exploited.

Overview of the AwareNet project. (Source: VTV)

The project uses storytelling and gamification as its pillars, leading users into familiar scenarios such as fake calls from government agencies or investment invitations promising high returns. This form of “risk-based learning” helps users change their perceptions in a real way, instead of just receiving one-way information.

In terms of implementation, AwareNet is built with a clear structure, easy to apply and highly adaptable, meeting the requirements of the 48-hour "Real Arena" round.

The project aims at practical products such as experiential workshops, digital warning maps, interactive videos and quick recognition toolkits for young users - solutions that can be applied immediately in life.

Members of the Diplomatic Academy team with instructor Do Bach Duong. (Source: VTV)

The project team is a prominent advantage of AwareNet. In which, student Ngoc Minh is in charge of content, Linh Phuong and Thanh Tung are in charge of communication, events and foreign affairs are assigned to Pham Truong and Yen Vi.

The team's instructor is MSc. Do Bach Duong, lecturer at the Faculty of Communication and Foreign Culture (Diplomatic Academy), who has many years of experience in the field of television, providing practical perspectives and strategic direction to help make the project more convincing and feasible.

All five members have internship and working experience in professional environments, from the media sector (Vietnam Television; World and Vietnam Newspaper, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), technology (FPT) to international cooperation (Vietnam-US Cooperation Center). This “versatility” helps AwareNet have both strategic vision and feasibility in implementation, while being sensitive to user behavior, creating a solid foundation for turning ideas into practical solutions.

Sharing with The World and Vietnam Newspaper about the project's vision, student Pham Truong said: "Because we chose a difficult topic that requires interdisciplinary thinking, our group always shows seriousness and responsibility towards the social issues that are being raised. AwareNet is therefore not only a contest entry but also a testament to the image of a generation of proactive, knowledgeable digital citizens with the ability to protect the community from invisible threats."

In this year’s New Generation Student competition, where the journey “from me to us” is highlighted, AwareNet stands out with a clear vision: Equipping knowledge, practical experience and psychological preparation to minimize risks from online fraud. With a practical approach, the project is not just a contest entry, but also a testament to a generation of young, proactive digital citizens who are ready to turn ideas into practical solutions.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/awarenet-giai-phap-phong-chong-lua-dao-truc-tuyen-tu-sinh-vien-ngoai-giao-335173.html