Bac Giang police arrest group of people spreading scam messages

Object Nong Huu Chien

The Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department, Bac Giang Provincial Police, has coordinated with professional units to detect, investigate and clarify a group of subjects using cars and broadcasting equipment to spread illegal messages over the telecommunications network with advertising content for gambling websites, serving gambling activities and fraudulent appropriation of property in many northern provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Thai Nguyen and Lang Son.

The subjects operate mainly in urban areas, densely populated areas, and industrial zones with many workers.

The Department of Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention has been prompt and determined in organizing verification and at the same time, directing the establishment of a special project to combat this group of subjects.

On March 27, the Department of Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention, in coordination with Department 4 of the Department of Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention and Control and Department 9 of the Criminal Police Department, broke up the case and arrested Nong Huu Chien (born in 1989) and Trieu Van Bien (born in 1997), both residing in Lang Son province, who were illegally accessing telecommunications networks and electronic devices of others to spread messages for gambling and fraudulent appropriation of property on the internet in Thach Ban ward, Long Bien district, Hanoi city.

During the arrest, the police seized an HP Probook laptop, a BTS device, a mobile Wifi transmitter, an antenna, a power converter and a car. Initially, the two subjects confessed to using the above devices to illegally spread about 10,000 messages in many areas of Bac Giang, Bac Ninh provinces and Hanoi city.

The case was then handed over to the Investigation Police Agency, Hanoi City Police for handling and investigation according to their authority. The two subjects were prosecuted and detained for the crime of “Illegal intrusion into another person’s computer network, telecommunications network or electronic device.”

Continuing to expand the project, on April 7, the Department of Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention - Bac Giang Provincial Police summoned and investigated a subject born in 1999 and a subject born in 2003, both residing in Dien Bien province, currently residing in Bac Giang province, for illegally accessing other people's computer networks, telecommunications networks or electronic devices in Thai Nguyen province; confiscating a laptop, a BTS device, and an antenna device.

The Department of Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention has handed over the two subjects and the exhibits to the Thai Nguyen Provincial Police Department of Investigation Security for investigation according to its authority.

During the investigation, it was determined that these subjects worked in groups. Each car consisted of a driver and a technician, divided into two shifts every day from 10am to 10pm and from 10pm until the end of the assigned task according to instructions. The subjects were paid as follows: the technician was paid 800,000 VND/day, the driver was paid 900,000 VND/day through a “junk” bank account.

Many users received scam messages from brand names that matched those of a reputable domestic bank.

Authorities initially determined that the group of leaders and operators (including both foreigners and Vietnamese) were all in Cambodia.

Authorities continue to investigate and clarify.

Recently, many users have received spam messages containing brand names impersonating banks, or with obscene or vulgar content, asking users to access a link to view the content.

According to the Department of Information Security (Ministry of Information and Communications), this is a scam message, luring users to access a link to install malware or steal account information. To send brandname messages to users, the common trick of the scammers is to create a fake BTS transmission station.

Fake brandname messages often come with a link. If the user follows the instructions and clicks on the link, they will be taken to a fake website with an interface identical to the bank's website.

Users operate on the fake website, enter account password information, then enter the OTP code. This information is collected by hackers and makes money transfer orders on the bank system, causing users to lose money immediately.

According to Vietnam+