The HCMC Department of Public Security warns people of the latest trick to record data of the face for bank account, e-wallet opening to scam others

Due to the complexity of fraudulent activities on the cyberspace lately throughout the country, the Ministry of Public Security and its department in HCMC continuously publicize the latest news to the public via official media channels in hope of raising the public’s awareness of the matter.

HCMC Public Security Department informs that thanks to the advancement of technologies, nowadays, Internet users can open a new bank account or e-wallet online. To verify their identity with banks before their account is activated, they have to complete a step called ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC), where all sides of their face are scanned.

Understanding this, criminals can disguise themselves as a member of state agencies or even use Deepfake to disguise themselves as relatives of victims and then ask those victims to turn their faces around so that data on all sides of the face can be recorded.

This valuable data will then be used to open a bank account or e-wallet under the name of the victim for illegal activities. It is extremely hard for victims to prove that they are innocent in those activities since the KYC step has been successful.

Therefore, HCMC Public Security Department warns that city dwellers must be cautious against video calls requesting abnormal actions like looking ahead, turning to the left and right, looking up and down.

Under no circumstances should people provide their sensitive information (phone number, citizen ID number, home address, bank account number, OTP code) to strangers.

When there is a need to work with a person (information verification, investigation), the police force of all levels always contacts that person directly or sends a formal written notice to the person or the local authorities in charge of the person.

There is no case where the police contact citizens via phone or social network functions for a working session.

Therefore, when discovering a fraudulent act, the public should report it to the nearest police station for proper handling in compliance with the law.

Source: SGGGP