Gov’t to crack down on high-tech crimes

Pham tasks the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) to direct police units and localities to effectively carry out the peak period of cracking down on high-tech crimes, especially fraud and property appropriation, particularly during the process of restructuring local police units.

The MPS is responsible for reviewing and promptly detecting, preventing, and removing content, websites, links, applications, groups, and accounts in cyberspace related to fraudulent activities, suspicious calls, and messages—especially those from abroad, calls using VoIP technology, and OTT applications.

The MPS and the Ministry of Science and Technology are required to proactively detect, identify, prevent, and handle websites, IP addresses, applications, and malware used for property fraud.

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) is assigned to organize reconnaissance, monitoring, information gathering, analysis, and evaluation of cyberspace activities to promptly implement measures to address threats to national defense and security.

The MND is also urged to deploy forces to increase patrols and strictly control border areas, especially trails, crossings, mountainous regions, and rivers. Modern technologies such as surveillance cameras, drones, and GPS tracking systems will be applied to monitor and detect illegal border crossings. A database of individuals at risk of illegally crossing the border will be developed to proactively prevent and stop such incidents.

The Prime Minister tasks the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) to direct commercial banks and payment intermediary service providers to urgently verify the biometric authentication of legal representatives for online transactions through business accounts; eliminate unclaimed accounts and accounts with false information; and implement technical solutions to detect, classify, and flag accounts conducting transactions via foreign IP addresses.

The SBV is also responsible for directing credit institutions, foreign bank branches in Viet Nam, and payment intermediary service providers to cooperate with the Ministry of Public Security in connecting their systems to receive and share information about accounts, organizations, and individuals involved in illegal activities.  

The Prime Minister also assigns the Ministry of Science and Technology to coordinate with the SBV to align account holder and legal representative information with that of mobile subscribers associated with registered payment accounts and e-wallets.

Telecommunications enterprises are to be directed to authenticate, store, and manage subscriber information, and to handle SIM cards with incomplete or inaccurate information in accordance with regulations.

Cyberspace frauds becoming more  sotificated 

The situation of cyber fraud continues to grow more complex, with organized and transnational operations employing increasingly sophisticated tactics, causing significant damage to individuals and businesses and negatively affecting social security and order.

As the 12th largest internet user population globally, Viet Nam has experienced a sharp increase in cybersecurity vulnerabilities in recent years.

According to the National Cyber Security Association's (NCA) 2024 cybersecurity report, financial losses caused by cybercrimes were estimated at VND18.9 trillion (US$742.28 million).

Although 88.98 percent of users reported they promptly discussed incidents with family and friends, only 45.69 percent said they reported the fraud to authorities, indicating a relatively low reporting rate.

Survey results show that 70.72 percent of users encountered invitations to invest in financial platforms of dubious origin, often advertised as risk-free and highly profitable.

Additionally, 62.08 percent reported receiving calls from individuals impersonating police officers, court officials, tax authorities, or bank representatives, urging them to install software or transfer funds under the pretext of proving their innocence in alleged legal violations.

Meanwhile, 60.01 percent of respondents reported receiving vague and suspicious messages about winning prizes or receiving exclusive promotions./.