HCM City police warns off online scams after personal data leak
The Ho Chi Minh City Police has issued a warning to locals to watch out for online scams, following a cybersecurity breach at the National Credit Information Center (CIC) on September 11.
According to the Criminal Police Department, the personal data leak, which includes bank accounts, may be exploited by criminals to carry out sophisticated frauds.
In the upcoming times, locals may be exposed to a wide range of scam attacks, including impersonation of banks and state authorities; emails and messages (with correct personal details) that trick victims into giving away their OTP; and frauds targeting people in need of quick loans.
Criminals may also impersonate a victim’s relatives, the police or the court to trick them into transferring money, or send spam emails and messages with dangerous internet links.
Their targets usually include university students who need study funds or part time jobs, the elderly who are not tech-savvy, and labourers in need of money.
The police said that locals should never provide passwords, OTP to anyone over the phone or email, nor should they click on strange links and transfer money to a stranger’s account.
They should only check their personal information through their banks’ official websites and apps, or via hotlines.
Families should also educate their elderlies on scams.
The HCM City Police said that the CIC data leak is the largest of its kind in Vietnam, meaning online scams may get even more sophisticated, so everyone needs to stay vigilant.
CIC is a critical data hub under the management of the State Bank of Vietnam, and one of four organisations licensed to provide credit information services in Vietnam.
Credit information collected by CIC in accordance with the law does not include information on: deposit accounts, deposit balances, savings accounts, payment accounts, debit card numbers, credit card numbers, security codes (CVV/CVC), and customer payment transaction history.
Initial assessments reveal that the CIC breach was likely caused by a deliberate intrusion from cybercriminals targeting personal data. The extent and volume of compromised information are still under investigation.
Central bank reassures clients after CIC data breach incident
VOV.VN - The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) on September 12 issued a statement to reassure clients following a data breach at the National Credit Information Centre (CIC).
