“One night” message deceives users
Hoang Quyen, an office worker in Hanoi’s Cau Giay district, said he had been receiving constant messages this week offering services from a number with a secret name. “The content is only intended to encourage users to click on links with domains such as tim***.viata, lenl**.info. Some of the messages had vulgar content,” Kuen said.
Similarly, Tuan Anh, a student at Dong Da, said that while having dinner with his family, a “One Night” message suddenly popped up on his cell phone. “I have to explain that this is a spam message to avoid misunderstandings. My friend received the same message and found himself in a dilemma,” he said.
On February 22, a series of messages were sent to users in Hanoi. Picture: Huong Nha
Nguyen Minh Duc, director of security firm CyRadar, said it was a type of spam message that tricked users into visiting deceptive websites, especially pertinent personal user details such as posting information.
According to security experts, these messages are sent by fake mobile devices (IMSI Catcher/SMS Broadcaster). Attackers can buy and sell these types of devices to spread deceptive messages while bypassing cellular networks. The messages also frequently change the original information with names like “Gai goi, Khen ho”.
This is not the first time Vietnamese users have received such fraudulent SMS. Before that, the campaign to pose as a bank and hire salespeople continued and ensnared many people. In September 2022, the Ministry of Public Security’s High-Tech Crime Prevention and Cybersecurity Department uncovered a foreign-led transnational criminal gang specializing in the dissemination of misleading messages. The attackers used foreign-made equipment to spoof a Vietnamese telecommunications company’s mobile transceiver stations. Device kits may spoof agency or organization message numbers. When they collect information about mobile subscribers, they send between 40,000 and 80,000 messages to a range of devices every day.
Mister. Duc advises users to be wary of strange messages and not to click on links in messages. If the information is lost, the user should immediately change their bank account or application password.
Vietnam CyberEmergency Response Center (VNCERT/CC) – Ministry of Information and Communications said that if users see a message, call or email that looks fake, they can report them to 5656.
Huong Nha