Beware of 00 calls, don't miss the risk of fraud

Da Nang City Police warn: Flash calls from numbers starting with 00 or not from the area code +84 are not only annoying but also pose a risk of losing money and having personal data collected. People should absolutely not answer the phone or call back under any circumstances.

Old tricks return in new technology

Recently, many people in Da Nang have reported receiving calls from strange numbers that just "beep" and then hang up, or when they answer the phone, the other end of the line is silent. These numbers often start with a plus sign (+) or 00 - a symbol indicating that it is an international call. Notably, the next two numbers in the sequence are not 84 - Vietnam's area code, raising concerns about a new form of fraud.

According to Da Nang City Police, this trick was popular in Europe and America a decade ago, but is now returning to Vietnam in a more sophisticated form. Criminals use automated devices to randomly call millions of mobile phone numbers around the world. The calls usually last only 1-2 seconds to arouse curiosity, causing victims to call back without anticipating the consequences.

A typical case is Ms. P. (living in Da Nang), who often receives calls from unknown sources but still has to answer the phone for fear of missing a delivery order. “Once I heard it, the other end of the line was silent, thinking the shipper had a faulty mic. Only when I checked my phone account did I see an unusual loss,” she shared.

Similarly, Mr. T. works in the service industry and, because he doesn’t want to miss out on customers, he always returns missed calls. As a result, his phone account is constantly deducted even if he only talks for a few seconds or even if no one picks up the phone.

Cyber security experts say these are "bait" calls aimed at:

- High telecommunication fees: Users will be charged for international connections from the first second even if they do not talk.

- Personal data authentication: Fraudsters verify active phone numbers to include them in valuable data lists and sell them to third parties.

- Paving the way for AI fraud: Some subjects can collect users' voices, serving fake calls to relatives using artificial intelligence technology.

According to authorities, the reason why many people are still vulnerable to the trap is because the habit of communicating via phone is too common, especially for those who work in services or often shop online. They often do not dare to miss strange calls for fear of losing customers or orders.

Fraudsters take advantage of this loophole to release numbers that look "similar" to Vietnamese area codes. When users call back, the call is routed through international telecommunications lines, resulting in sky-high connection fees. In addition, these phone numbers are very difficult to identify because they resemble domestic numbers, causing users to lose their guard.

Advice from police and experts

To avoid risks, Da Nang City Police recommends:

Never call back unknown numbers, especially those that flash or say nothing.

Do not answer the phone if you see any unusual signs from the displayed phone number.

If you do not need to make international calls, ask your carrier to block this service.

Do not share voice, personal data or access strange links from unknown calls or messages.

The Department of Information Security, Ministry of Information and Communications, recommends that currently, forms of fraud via social networks and the Internet are increasingly sophisticated, not only limited to the online environment but also expanding to phone calls with many unpredictable tricks.

Fraudsters often target the elderly, housewives or unemployed people - people who are gullible and tend to look for opportunities to make quick money. Therefore, they easily follow the instructions of the scammers and accidentally become victims.

To protect yourself from scam calls, expert Do Van Thinh, Director of CMC Cyber Security Operations Center ( CMC Cyber Security Company, CMC Technology Group), advises users in Vietnam to take the following measures:

- Users do not listen to or call back strange phone numbers, especially international numbers of unknown origin.

- You can register for spam call blocking services from network operators.

- Do not provide personal information over the phone, even if the person on the other end claims to be a bank employee, police officer or government agency.

- Contact the authorities directly if you receive a fake call to verify the information.

- Report fraudulent phone numbers to the Ministry of Information and Communications hotline via 156 or on the website chongthurac.vn.

Users can also install the Truecaller app on the Play Store or App Store to check whether the call is authenticated or not, thereby considering whether to pick up the phone to avoid the risk of fraud.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/de-phong-cuoc-goi-dau-00-dung-de-lo-nguy-co-lua-dao-post1556314.html