Proactively combat high-tech crime

Faced with the increasing trend of high-tech crimes , complicated developments and increasingly sophisticated methods with constantly changing tricks, the provincial police force has stepped up the fight and prevention; at the same time, coordinated propaganda to raise people's awareness and proactive prevention.

Phan Van Thoc used a fake BTS broadcasting station to spread messages advertising gambling and fraudulently appropriating property.

In early 2023, Dai Tu District Police received a report from Home Credit Vietnam Finance Company Limited (headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City) that a group had appropriated property by creating installment purchase records at Dien May Xanh stores in the area.

Through verification, investigators identified two groups of subjects using computer networks, telecommunications networks and electronic means to commit crimes. The first group colluded with authorized employees of Home Credit Company at Dien May Xanh and The Gioi Di Dong stores... to bring drug addicts to complete procedures to buy goods and borrow money in installments to pay. After receiving the disbursement, the subjects sold the purchased products and did not repay the debt to the company.

The second group posted advertisements for financial companies' loan support on social networks. Then, they used customers' personal information such as: Citizen ID, phone number... to create bank accounts, online loan accounts to take over the right to use and borrow at the maximum amount. When the loan was disbursed, the subjects transferred to the customers the amount of money according to their loan needs (lower than the maximum amount) and appropriated the difference. In addition, the subjects also forged documents to open credit cards and then appropriated all the money in the cards.

After many days of collecting information and verifying in and outside the province, the Criminal Investigation Police Team on criminal, economic and drug crimes (Dai Tu District Police) identified 3 ringleaders and directors of the crime, including: Dang Cong Quang Linh, born in 2000, residing in Tien Du District (Bac Ninh); Trieu Van Hai and his wife Cao Thi Huyen Trang, both born in 2002, residing in Van Lang Commune (Dong Hy). At the same time, 40 subjects were identified who committed more than 40 cases in many different areas, appropriating more than 1 billion VND. The Investigation Police Agency of Dai Tu District Police has prosecuted 10 subjects.

In April, the Department of Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention (PA05) of the Provincial Police coordinated with the Department of Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention; the Department of Radio Frequency, Ministry of Information and Communications to inspect a car with license plate 98A-446.01 traveling on Duong Tu Minh Street (Thai Nguyen City). Through inspection, the subject was discovered to be Phan Van Thoc, born in 1998 (in Vi Xuyen, Ha Giang), who used software on computers and high-tech equipment to operate a machine suspected of being a fake BTS broadcasting station to spread messages advertising gambling, pornography and property fraud to subscribers within the coverage area.

Expanding the investigation, the authorities arrested Lo Van Phuc for illegally storing and providing electronic devices to Thoc to commit crimes. The investigation determined that: Around January 2023, Phan Van Thoc was hired by a subject to advertise gambling activities and fraudulently appropriate property by sending spam messages to the phone number, and at the same time delivering high-tech machinery, equipment and instructions for use.

From January to April 2023, Thoc and his accomplices used devices to send a large number of spam messages to phone numbers operating in the provinces and cities of Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Bac Giang, Hai Phong, Hanoi and Thai Nguyen.

Department PA05 has consolidated the initial investigation file, clarified the subjects' behavior and transferred the case file to the Provincial Police Security Investigation Agency to continue investigating and handling the subjects according to the law...

The above are two typical cases of high-tech crime investigated and discovered by police at all levels in the province. Given the complicated developments of this type of crime, the police force continues to issue warnings about new tricks, especially the use of artificial intelligence to create audio, image and video technology products that fake real-life subjects; impersonating telecommunications networks to request names, images and citizen identification cards to standardize phone subscriber information.

Some methods have been around for a long time, but the tricks are increasingly sophisticated. Many people are still "trapped" by being lured into participating in tasks on social networks, recruiting online collaborators, investing in stocks, etc.

Whether it is a new or old trick, to seize the victim's property, it is necessary to rely on transferring money through banks or other online payment methods. Therefore, it is important that everyone needs to raise awareness and equip themselves with knowledge to prevent and "immune" themselves to high-tech crimes.

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