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The Star
07-08-2025
- The Star
Online kidnapping scams on the rise in Vietnam, targeting people living far from home
HANOI: Vietnamese authorities are warning the public of a rising wave of sophisticated online scams known as 'virtual kidnapping', targeting students and young people, particularly those living away from home. Criminals impersonate police or prosecutors, claim the victim is involved in a crime and coerce them into isolation, while simultaneously extorting money from their families. On July 27, police in Hanoi's Ba Dinh Ward received a report from a man claiming his university-age son had been kidnapped. The father received a message demanding a ransom of 250 million dong (S$12,250). Within hours, local police, in coordination with Hanoi's Criminal Police Department, located the student in a nearby hotel. The son explained he had been contacted via phone by someone claiming to be an investigator. The caller accused him of involvement in a money laundering ring and instructed him to install a Zoom-based app for interrogation. Under pressure and fear, he followed instructions and sent a distress message to his parents, believing it was a legal procedure. A similar case occurred just days earlier in the capital city's Viet Hung Ward, where a 16-year-old was coerced into faking his own kidnapping and demanding 300 million dong from his family. He was later found alone in a hotel room after swift intervention by police. These 'virtual kidnappings' typically follow a pattern: scammers collect public information and photos of victims — often students living away from home — and then create fake social media accounts on Facebook or Zalo using their identities. They contact the victim's family and friends with urgent messages like 'I've been kidnapped abroad', 'If I ask for money, I'm being forced', or 'Call the police to rescue me.' To heighten panic, they use emotional language like 'Mom, please help!' or 'Are you online, Mom?' to manipulate family members into transferring money without verifying the situation. Multiple rescues in recent days Between Aug 2 and 5, police in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Dak Lak successfully resolved at least five such cases. On Aug 2, an 18-year-old student in Ho Chi Minh City was lured into a hotel room and asked his mother for 600 million dong under the pretext of needing financial proof for a study abroad application. Authorities tracked and rescued him the same night. Also on Aug 2, a third-year student disappeared from her dorm in HCM City. Scammers demanded 600 million dong from her family. Police found her in a hotel after she had already transferred 129 million dong. On Aug 5, a high school student from HCM City was lured 350km away to Dak Lak Province, where he was isolated in a motel. He had transferred nearly 80 million dong after being manipulated via calls and Zoom. Police found and rescued him early the next morning. Many of the victims admitted they had heard about these scams before, but still fell for them due to pressure, fear and isolation. Online awareness Journalist Hoang Anh Tu, former head of the editorial board of the Sinh Vien-Hoa Học Tro newspaper, said this reveals alarming gaps in family relationships today. Social media, with its strong appeal and influence, has increasingly become a more accessible companion for many teenagers. 'Young people are often more willing to confide in strangers online, where they feel heard and free from judgment. Meanwhile, within their own families, parents, due to busy schedules, life pressures or a lack of understanding of teenage psychology, may unintentionally create invisible barriers,' he said. He suggested that schools integrate digital skills education into the official curriculum. 'It's not enough to just teach math, physics, chemistry, and then tell students 'Figure out social media on your own',' he said. 'There should be practical lessons, like 'How can you tell if a stranger is trying to scam you?', 'What kind of messages might indicate bullying or grooming?', or 'What should you do if you're being threatened online?'' Building trust, sharing and being a solid emotional support for children is the most effective shield against cybercrime, he noted. According to Tu, families need to shift from 'preaching' to 'truly walking alongside' their children. Instead of banning phone use, parents could try asking their children how much time they spend on their phone each day, what kind of content they like, or if anything online has made them feel sad lately. 'Parents, don't rush. Don't lose your temper at every little thing. Be calm, because there's still plenty of time to be present with your children. When you are, they'll feel safe expressing their thoughts and emotions. And sometimes, you may even be surprised and deeply moved by their insight,' he said. Instead of banning social media, he advised parents to accompany their children by watching what their children are watching, commenting on it and following along — not to monitor them, but to understand them. - Vietnam News/ANN
Straits Times
07-08-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Online kidnapping scams on the rise in Vietnam, targeting people living far from home
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Many of the victims admitted they had heard about these scams before, but still fell for them due to pressure, fear and isolation. HANOI - Vietnamese authorities are warning the public of a rising wave of sophisticated online scams known as 'virtual kidnapping', targeting students and young people, particularly those living away from home. Criminals impersonate police or prosecutors, claim the victim is involved in a crime and coerce them into isolation, while simultaneously extorting money from their families. On July 27, police in Hanoi's Ba Dinh Ward received a report from a man claiming his university-age son had been kidnapped. The father received a message demanding a ransom of 250 million dong (S$12,250). Within hours, local police, in coordination with Hanoi's Criminal Police Department, located the student in a nearby hotel. The son explained he had been contacted via phone by someone claiming to be an investigator. The caller accused him of involvement in a money laundering ring and instructed him to install a Zoom-based app for interrogation. Under pressure and fear, he followed instructions and sent a distress message to his parents, believing it was a legal procedure. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Some ageing condos in Singapore struggle with failing infrastructure, inadequate sinking funds Singapore PUB investigating waste water discharge in Eunos: Pritam World Trump eyes 100% chips tariff, but 0% for US investors like Apple Business DBS shares hit record-high after Q2 profit beats forecast on strong wealth fees, trading income Business UOB Q2 profit drops 6% to $1.34 billion, missing forecast Singapore ST and Uniqlo launch design contest for Singapore stories T-shirt collection World White House says Trump open to meeting Russia's Putin and Ukraine's Zelensky Singapore MRT track issue causes 5-hour delay; Jeffrey Siow says 'we can and will do better' A similar case occurred just days earlier in the capital city's Viet Hung Ward, where a 16-year-old was coerced into faking his own kidnapping and demanding 300 million dong from his family. He was later found alone in a hotel room after swift intervention by police. These 'virtual kidnappings' typically follow a pattern: scammers collect public information and photos of victims — often students living away from home — and then create fake social media accounts on Facebook or Zalo using their identities. They contact the victim's family and friends with urgent messages like 'I've been kidnapped abroad', 'If I ask for money, I'm being forced', or 'Call the police to rescue me.' To heighten panic, they use emotional language like 'Mom, please help!' or 'Are you online, Mom?' to manipulate family members into transferring money without verifying the situation. Multiple rescues in recent days Between Aug 2 and 5, police in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Dak Lak successfully resolved at least five such cases. On Aug 2, an 18-year-old student in Ho Chi Minh City was lured into a hotel room and asked his mother for 600 million dong under the pretext of needing financial proof for a study abroad application. Authorities tracked and rescued him the same night. Also on Aug 2, a third-year student disappeared from her dorm in HCM City. Scammers demanded 600 million dong from her family. Police found her in a hotel after she had already transferred 129 million dong. On Aug 5, a high school student from HCM City was lured 350km away to Dak Lak Province, where he was isolated in a motel. He had transferred nearly 80 million dong after being manipulated via calls and Zoom. Police found and rescued him early the next morning. Many of the victims admitted they had heard about these scams before, but still fell for them due to pressure, fear and isolation. Online awareness Journalist Hoang Anh Tu, former head of the editorial board of the Sinh Vien-Hoa Học Tro newspaper, said this reveals alarming gaps in family relationships today. Social media, with its strong appeal and influence, has increasingly become a more accessible companion for many teenagers. 'Young people are often more willing to confide in strangers online, where they feel heard and free from judgment. Meanwhile, within their own families, parents, due to busy schedules, life pressures or a lack of understanding of teenage psychology, may unintentionally create invisible barriers,' he said. He suggested that schools integrate digital skills education into the official curriculum. 'It's not enough to just teach math, physics, chemistry, and then tell students 'Figure out social media on your own',' he said. 'There should be practical lessons, like 'How can you tell if a stranger is trying to scam you?', 'What kind of messages might indicate bullying or grooming?', or 'What should you do if you're being threatened online?'' Building trust, sharing and being a solid emotional support for children is the most effective shield against cybercrime, he noted. According to Mr Tu, families need to shift from 'preaching' to 'truly walking alongside' their children. Instead of banning phone use, parents could try asking their children how much time they spend on their phone each day, what kind of content they like, or if anything online has made them feel sad lately. 'Parents, don't rush. Don't lose your temper at every little thing. Be calm, because there's still plenty of time to be present with your children. When you are, they'll feel safe expressing their thoughts and emotions. And sometimes, you may even be surprised and deeply moved by their insight,' he said. Instead of banning social media, he advised parents to accompany their children by watching what their children are watching, commenting on it and following along — not to monitor them, but to understand them. VIETNAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Don't offer a chair to a 66-year-old (and other rules to avoid being sued by your colleagues)
How do you take your tea? That I'm even asking the question proves I don't despise you as a colleague – or that I hide it well. Yet such courtesy, it seems, is not a given in the modern workplace. Just ask the NHS nurse who was awarded £41,000 in compensation after a colleague left her out of a tea round. Of course, there was more to it than that (there always is), but it formed a part of her tribunal case against Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust that her colleague made hot drinks for everyone but her. She accused him of bullying behaviour and complained that the trust hadn't handled her complaints appropriately. Listen, and you'll hear the distinct sound of employers groaning across the land: we're going to need a bigger tea tray for a start. And that is not all. There are other new rules to follow to avoid being sued by an employee these days. Let's just say it's complicated. Yes, you might say, I appreciate the pitfalls outlined above but then, how far do I go? As in geographically. The answer could save someone tens of thousands of pounds in compensation costs. For those working in large, open-plan offices, boundaries must surely be established. Should you offer tea to all those on your bank of desks when making a round? To everyone in your team, including Brian, who hasn't knowingly washed his mug since 1995? Must you include everyone who occupies the same 10 square metres of carpet as you? The receptionist? The nice man who runs the coffee shop opposite the office? Maybe we can safely assume that he, at least, can make his own hot drink. There are times you can safely do this. If you are comfortably seated in a meeting, while a heavily pregnant colleague leans panting against the wall, probably offer her a chair. If you run a university department and employ an impressive senior lecturer who's threatening to jump ship, offer her a chair. But be aware that there are times when offering a chair can go down as well as a dressing gown worn to a Zoom-based catch-up with your boss at 3pm. Last year, a tribunal found that offering a chair to an older colleague at work could constitute age discrimination. The ruling came when a 66-year-old recycling plant operative sued after a colleague asked him if he wanted to sit down during his shift. As for the complaint that you can't even hold a door for a woman without being called sexist these days: no court has actually outlawed this. Just don't leer at her while she walks through it. There is yet to be a ruling that failure to slam a door in someone's face is discriminatory. 'Happy birthday to you, happ-' Can I stop you there? You see, it may be my birthday, but I do not wish for you to mark it. This, I'm afraid, means no cards. HMRC learnt their lesson last year when an employee successfully sued them after her supervisors sent her a birthday card despite her request not to celebrate the occasion. She was on sick leave at the time, and a tribunal judge ruled that the greetings card, plus repeated unwanted contact, amounted to harassment. More encouragingly perhaps, should you fail to give a card when someone does want one, you might just get away with it (though the same isn't true in a domestic setting). One woman lost her case against International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways, when she sued her employer last year for not being given a leaving card. It turned out it was withheld from her after only three people signed it. The lesson seems to be to err on the side of no card and no Colin the Caterpillar cake. While we're dealing with this, it should be obvious by now that asking a colleague how old they will be and whether it's a 'big birthday' (they may be four years off their next age ending in a zero) is as sensible as forgetting their gluten intolerance when baking the cake they insisted they didn't want. If you're an employer, you may find it heartening to know that if a member of staff claims they have eaten two sandwiches for lunch on expenses, when in fact their partner ate one, you won't owe them any bread. Citigroup won an employment tribunal in 2023 after sacking a worker who claimed for sandwiches and coffee for his partner, then lied about it. He claimed unfair dismissal but lost. Employees, tread carefully. Not only is there no such thing as a free lunch for your other half, you may also find – and this one's relatable – that your expenses come back to bite you when you later take up a role as chancellor of the exchequer. Rachel Reeves came up against this when the BBC reported this month that earlier in her career, she used Halifax Bank of Scotland expenses to 'fund a lifestyle' while working there, including taxis and gifts. Reeves said she was not aware of any investigation or issue with her expenses. The key takeaways from the story are admittedly confusing: it's safer not to claim for Moët and Chandon (too extravagant), but if you're claiming for biscuits, you might as well go for something from Fortnums, since asking for £4.92 to be reimbursed just looks petty. We didn't make the rules. Unlike in several other countries, we don't yet have a statutory right to disconnect, meaning your employer can contact you while you are: in the bath; up a tree; down a manhole; scuba diving (though you may have no phone signal); giving birth; giving a reading at a friend's wedding. Happily (your happiness about this may depend on whether you're the boss), the Government is planning to introduce a new right for workers to switch off outside normal working hours. Failing to respect this could result in tribunals, employment lawyers predict. It is not yet clear what a right to disconnect would entail in Britain, so here are some suggestions: if it's 8.59am, please wait another minute to email; if it's 5.01pm, please wait until tomorrow or better still next week; if your staff are on their lunch break, allow them to disconnect for long enough to eat two sandwiches; if they are on their tea break, don't ask to be included. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
