fake website to scam

According to experts, cybercriminals, leveraging AI technology, find images and content copied from the very brands they want to impersonate, then insert malware to exploit information and hijack users' accounts and devices.

According to statistics from the Information Security Department, in the last 6 months, nearly 500 fake websites impersonating brands for fraudulent purposes have been detected; each week, there are 400-500 user reports about scams, many of which involve impersonating bank websites and e-commerce sites.

Warning: some prominent forms of online scams

According to Vu Ngoc Son, Technical Director of the Vietnam National Cyber ​​Security Technology Joint Stock Company (NCS), creating a fake website or application can now be done in minutes. Therefore, fake applications and websites are appearing more and more frequently on the internet.

The week of September 16th to 22nd saw the following prominent forms of online fraud:

– Creating fake websites and impersonating celebrities to scam gamers: These individuals create fake websites using images of famous and influential figures in the gaming industry to attract attention. They then advertise limited-edition, high-value items that are only available for a short time.

To obtain the item, players need to spend money and provide personal information.

In some cases, perpetrators use the guise of a game to trick victims into downloading fake software or applications with the aim of enhancing the user experience, such as improving performance or reducing lag. After downloading, all information and data on the user's device will be stolen.

The Cybersecurity Department advises people to be vigilant, avoid accessing websites with unfamiliar links, and refrain from providing information until they have verified the authenticity of the website.

– Impersonating traffic police to issue fines: Individuals impersonating traffic police officers call citizens to inform them of traffic violations; they also state that the processing deadline has passed and request the violator to provide the violation number.

If the offender has not yet received the official report, the perpetrators will request personal information so that the authorities can provide the report number, the violation, the form of punishment, the amount of the fine, and demand that the money be transferred to an account they send.

The Cybersecurity Department stated that in cases of traffic violations detected by cameras, citizens are required to go to the police station (where the violation occurred) for questioning. Therefore, citizens need to be extremely vigilant, verify the identity of the perpetrator, and absolutely refrain from providing their personal information.

– Online task scams: This is a form of scam that has been warned about many times, but people still fall for it. Scammers often create fake social media accounts, posing as support staff or reputable companies to lure victims into participating in fictitious projects or tasks that require payment for commissions. After the victim trusts them and transfers money, the scammer will give various reasons why the money cannot be withdrawn and then block all communication.

The Cybersecurity Department advises people to be wary of promises of high income or easy jobs with high salaries, to verify information from official sources, and not to provide personal information or transfer money to any strangers or unknown individuals.