Police enter school to warn of new scam, show students how to protect themselves

That was the sharing of Captain Huynh Do Tan Thinh, detective of the Special Criminal Team - Criminal Police Department (PC02) of Ho Chi Minh City Police with more than 300 students ofFPT Polytechnic College, Ho Chi Minh City in the propaganda session "Skills to prevent and combat fraud crimes in cyberspace" co-organized by the Criminal Police Department (PC02) of Ho Chi Minh City Police on November 29.

Students are equipped with knowledge through answering questions.

The program recorded a series of questions and real-life fraud situations that students and their relatives had encountered, reflecting the rapid increase in cybercrime among young people.

According to the Ministry of Public Security , in 2023, the country prosecuted about 1,500 high-tech fraud cases, causing losses of 8,000 - 10,000 billion VND. Many victims did not report or erased evidence, so the actual number could be much higher. Captain Huynh Do Tan Thinh, detective of the Special Criminal Task Force (PC02), said that criminals currently mainly target small amounts of several hundred thousand to several million VND, but the number of cases is so large that it makes the investigation difficult.

One of the notable tricks mentioned at the propaganda session was the form of “online kidnapping”. The subject prepared fake audio, forced the victim to act out a scenario, then called the family to request money transfer.

Although the victim was completely safe, the panic caused relatives to immediately comply with the criminals' demands. When the incident was discovered, the money had been transferred through multiple layers of rented accounts and junk SIM cards, making it difficult to verify the flow of money.

Students enjoy recording police reports on fraud.

In addition, PC02 warned of a love scam targeting male university students. The subject met the victim online, arranged to meet in person, then secretly used anesthetic to take him to a secluded area to commit the crime.

In real-life environments, students also report many dangerous situations such as being lured into drinking strange drinks, being forced onto motorbikes when asking for directions, or being approached to borrow phones – tricks that seem old but still recur frequently.

According to Captain Thinh, the reason why many cases are difficult to handle is because victims delete messages, call logs and transaction codes themselves, or do not know that they must report to the police station - the initial receiving place according to regulations. "If just one message is missing, the case file is almost worthless," he emphasized.

From real-life cases, PC02 has made recommendations to help people become "immune" to fraud, including: Do not transfer money without verifying it through at least two independent channels; Establish safety rules in the family; Stop a few seconds before clicking on a link or providing personal information; Absolutely do not rent out bank accounts, e-wallets, or phone SIMs; Turn on location and share your travel itinerary; Keep all messages and transaction codes for investigation purposes.

Representing the school, Mr. Hoang Huu Dung – Head of Politics and Law – said that the cooperation with the police force aims to equip students with practical knowledge, helping them identify sophisticated forms of fraud that are increasing rapidly. “These skills not only help students protect themselves but also contribute to preventing and fighting crime in the community,” he emphasized.

The campaign ended with the message: cybercrime does not only target the elderly, but anyone who is negligent for a second can become a victim. Digital skills are therefore not just about knowing how to use technology, but also knowing how to defend yourself, preserve evidence and report it promptly.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/cong-an-vao-truong-canh-bao-chieu-thuc-lua-moi-chi-sinh-vien-cach-tu-bao-ve-post1800571.tpo