Identifying the scams that students often fall into

(NLDO) - Hitting the psychology of students who often look for simple, easy jobs with attractive salaries, many bad guys have successfully scammed them.

At the recent workshop "Identifying Fraudulent Situations When Students Seek Jobs" held at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Languages ​​and Information Technology, Lieutenant Chau Duc Nhan (Ho Chi Minh City Police) emphasized that many students are still naive and gullible when faced with "easy jobs with high salaries".

Lieutenant Chau Duc Nhan (Ho Chi Minh City Police) warns students about online scams.

Scams using three key numbers.

When applying for jobs, students often have to provide personal information to recruiters. Among this information, three crucial details (phone number, citizen identification number, and bank account number) can have serious consequences if they fall into the hands of fraudulent recruiters.

Regarding phone numbers,   In recent years, malicious individuals have frequently impersonated local police officers, calling students and demanding that they update their national identity cards to level 2 identification.

According to Lieutenant Nhân, the modus operandi of these individuals is to send a link containing malware, instructing students to download the VneID application via the link. As soon as they click on the link, the perpetrators will gain access to their phones and steal all the money in their accounts.

Recently, to gain trust, individuals impersonating local police officers have been asking students to come to the police station for questioning. However, upon arrival, the person will claim absence and suggest conducting the interview over the phone for the convenience of both parties.

Many students still have a complacent attitude and haven't thoroughly researched online scams.

Another case involves impersonating a mobile network employee. The imposter asks students to upgrade their SIM cards to receive more benefits. Once they gain access, they use the students' e-wallets and banking apps to transfer money without the students' knowledge.

"Many young people mistakenly believe that even if they have accessed their phone, they won't be able to transfer money because the banking app requires a password. However, they forget that criminals can click 'forgot password,' then obtain the OTP confirmation code from the phone number, and within seconds, transfer all the money in the account," Lieutenant Nhan explained.

For bank accounts, criminals typically use two tactics: installing information-stealing machines at ATMs and sending links containing malware to request online payments.

Scammers, posing as foreigners, are buying bank account numbers to use for their expenses while in Vietnam. Each account number is purchased for between 500,000 and 1,000,000 VND. These accounts are then used as "ghost" accounts, helping the scammers to transfer the money.

"Regarding the student ID card, students need to be very cautious. If criminals obtain a student's ID card, they can set up a shell company, build a fraudulent 'ecosystem,' and continue to scam other students without the original owner's knowledge," Lieutenant Nhan emphasized.

Don't believe the "easy job, high pay" promise.

Speaking at the workshop, Lieutenant Nhân shared that there had been a case where a student lost nearly 100 million VND due to online shopping.

Initially, the students' job was simply to post advertisements, click "like" and "share" to increase the product's credibility, earning a generous fee of 50,000-100,000 VND per post.

After a while, the scammers will move on to step 2, which is asking students to buy the product. For each successful purchase, they will refund the purchase price along with a commission.

The Ho Chi Minh City Student Support Center guides students on how to find safe part-time jobs.

The more students work, the easier it is for them to spend money on more attractive job orders, some worth nearly 100 million VND. Besides students, stay-at-home mothers and office workers are also victims of this type of work.

Lieutenant Nhan stated that although the media is currently publishing a lot of warnings about scams and fraudulent schemes, many students are still very careless. The scams are not new; only a few minor details have changed, but they can still steal large sums of money.

Mr. Le Nguyen Nam, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Student Support Center, said that students work part-time to earn extra income to cover living expenses. The majority of students in Ho Chi Minh City come from other provinces/cities to study. Therefore, strengthening awareness campaigns and warnings to help students identify fraudulent situations is essential.

"When applying for jobs, students need to carefully choose reputable employers. Don't believe enticing offers of 'easy work, high pay.' Thoroughly research the company before providing personal information," Mr. Nam emphasized.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/diem-mat-chieu-tro-lua-dao-sinh-vien-thuong-sap-bay-196250320153238414.htm