Entering keywords like "eavesdropping on messages," "eavesdropping service," etc., into Facebook yielded dozens of groups advertising these services, with tens of thousands of members. In addition, there were also services for eavesdropping on phone calls and tracking phone SIM card locations.
Affordable prices, helpful advice.
Acting as customers needing to view other people's messages on Facebook and Zalo, we contacted the admin of the "Message Surveillance and Eavesdropping Service" Fanpage and were quoted 1 million VND for Messenger messages and 2.5 million VND for Zalo messages. The service was valid until the account owner whose messages were being spied on changed their password.
According to the instructions, customers only need to send the Facebook link or Zalo phone number of the person they want to monitor, and the service provider can read all messages, including deleted data. "I will check the passwords of the Facebook and Zalo account owners, then you can log in to view the messages. However, you must access through the link we provide, enter the information we send, and keep your account logged in to that link so that messages are updated regularly," the admin of the aforementioned Fanpage advised.
Another Facebook page, named "Technology Company Meeting Essential Needs Remotely," also advertises a service providing remote phone tracking software. This page offers a service for eavesdropping on and secretly reading social media messages and SIM cards for only 600,000 VND per use, with a monthly fee of 230,000 VND. After receiving the link, customers enter the phone number of the person they want to track and transfer the fee.
Some Facebook users have reported that services advertised on social media for eavesdropping, listening in on, or recovering messages are mostly scams. To gain trust, the scammers often offer enthusiastic advice and promise a refund if they cannot hack the account. However, after transferring the money, the victims are immediately blocked from sending messages and making calls.
A "forest" of advertisements for services that secretly read text messages is flooding social media sites.
Violation of the law
Mr. Pham Dinh Thang, a security expert, warns that those who want to secretly read messages by accessing links from unknown sources sent by service providers could become the first victims of scams. "These links are highly likely to contain malware, meaning that malicious actors can infiltrate the buyer's device to collect information, or even steal money from their bank accounts. Or, there is a risk of having personal information used by scammers to steal money from others," Mr. Thang noted.
According to Mr. Thang, it is possible to secretly read or eavesdrop on messages and calls if the service provider installs malware on the device of the person being monitored. However, providing only a phone number or Facebook address is not enough to achieve this goal, unless the person being monitored uses a very simple password, but this is very rare.
According to Huynh Trong Thua, an information security expert, it's possible to secretly read Facebook messages by tricking the monitored person into accessing a link containing malware, such as Keylogger software. Afterward, Facebook calls are automatically recorded and videotaped, then transferred to a "malicious" service provider. "These service providers operate in the shadows, making it easy for customers to transfer money upfront and then disappear. Furthermore, users of this service are not only victims of fraud but also breaking the law," Mr. Thua warned.
Analyzing the legal aspects in detail, lawyer Truong Van Tuan from Trang Saigon Law Office stated that the act of secretly reading text messages and eavesdropping on phone calls violates the right to privacy. Violators can be fined between 10 and 60 million VND depending on the severity and consequences. Furthermore, violators are required to delete all collected information resulting from the violation.
If the elements of a crime are present, the individuals may be prosecuted for the crime of "Violating the secrecy or security of correspondence, telephone calls, telegrams, or other forms of private communication of others" as stipulated in the Penal Code, with a prison sentence of up to 5 years. In cases where the act involves providing false information to defraud or misappropriate the property of others, this group of individuals may also be fined 2-3 million VND or prosecuted for the crime of "Fraudulent appropriation of property," with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Are tech giants also invading privacy?
Recently, Meta (Facebook's parent company) was accused of granting Netflix access to users' Messenger messages to collect data for advertising purposes. Although Meta denied the allegations, explaining that the access was only intended to allow users to share content they were watching with friends, public opinion suggests that selling user data to third parties without consent is a blatant violation of users' privacy rights.
Commenting on this story, Mr. Pham Dinh Thang suggested that this might be a way for technology service companies to make money amidst sharply declining revenue year after year. Meanwhile, Mr. Huynh Trong Thua observed that Meta might not risk its reputation just to increase advertising revenue, even though this would greatly benefit customers by allowing them easier access to products and services that best suit their needs.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/phat-hoang-voi-dich-vu-doc-trom-tin-nhan-196240413204434371.htm
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