Vietnam warns of rising online scams as Internet use nears 7 hrs a day

The warning was issued during the launch of a new online safety campaign, ‘Cham Ma Chac,’ organized by the Ministry of Public Security’s cybersecurity unit.

Colonel Nguyen Dinh Do Thi of the ministry’s cybercrime department said Vietnam ranks 12th globally in Internet growth, with users spending an average of six hours and 38 minutes daily on online activities including communication, education, and entertainment.

He said rising connectivity had been accompanied by increasingly sophisticated online scams, adding that globally, an estimated 2.9 million people fall victim to cybercrime every minute.

Ha Van Bac, deputy director of the cybercrime department, said tens of thousands of online fraud cases were reported in Vietnam in 2024, with estimated losses nearing VND20 trillion (US$758.85 million).

Authorities identified more than 125,000 fake or impersonating websites using complex scam tactics.

Many cases go unreported, he said, warning of undercounted damages.

Social media platform TikTok said it would roll out in-app scam alerts and send fraud prevention messages to more than 70 million user-linked Gmail accounts as part of the campaign.

The company is also working with authorities to flag suspicious keywords linked to scams.

“We’re asking users to pause three seconds before taking any actions online,” said Nguyen Lam Thanh, head of public policy at TikTok Vietnam.

“Just a few seconds of hesitation can protect your money—or your life.”