Police warn of scams following CIC data leak.

On September 12th, the Criminal Police Department of Ho Chi Minh City Police issued a warning about the increased risk of fraud following the data leak incident at the National Credit Information Center (CIC).

The data leak at the National Credit Information Center (CIC) is considered the largest data breach ever – Illustration image.

According to the Criminal Investigation Department, this is a massive data source that could be exploited by criminals to carry out more sophisticated scams.

According to analysis by law enforcement agencies, in the coming period, people may face scams through the following forms:

- Impersonating banks, CIC (Credit Information Center), and government agencies to make phone calls, send text messages, and emails with full names, citizen identification numbers, account numbers, etc., to notify victims of "bad debt" or "information verification," thereby tricking unsuspecting individuals into providing passwords or OTPs.

- Services for clearing fake debts and increasing credit card limits: targeting students and workers who need quick loans with low interest rates.

- Impersonating relatives or superiors: exploiting detailed personal information to gain trust and request urgent money transfers.

- Making threatening phone calls: impersonating police officers, prosecutors, or court officials, threatening involvement in a money laundering case, and forcing people to transfer money to a "safe account".

- Spam SMS, Zalo, and emails containing malicious links: tricking users into clicking on fake links to steal more data.

For students: they are lured with offers of student loans or part-time jobs. For workers and civil servants, they receive warnings about bad debt and fake credit information. Older adults and those with less technological knowledge are easily deceived by fake calls impersonating banks or police officers, or by clicking on suspicious links.

The Criminal Police Department advises citizens to absolutely not provide passwords or OTPs to anyone via phone, text message, or email.

Do not click on suspicious links and only log in to the bank's official app or website. Verify information via hotline or by visiting the bank or relevant authorities in person. Do not transfer "verification" funds to unclear accounts.

Students and workers should absolutely not believe advertisements promising "CIC debt clearance" or "quick loans with 0% interest."

Families with elderly members should remind and guide their relatives on how to recognize fraudulent calls and messages.

The Criminal Police Department believes that after the largest data leak ever, cybercriminals will become increasingly sophisticated because they have access to victims' real information. Every citizen needs to increase vigilance and proactively update themselves on warnings from the police, banks, and mainstream media.

DAN THUAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cong-an-canh-bao-cac-thu-doan-lua-dao-sau-vu-lo-du-lieu-cua-cic-20250912142533896.htm