How did the subjects deceive people into selling software to track, eavesdrop, and read phone messages?

On October 30, the Office of the Investigation Police Agency of Hai Duong Province provided detailed information about the fraud case of appropriating property by tricking the sale of software that can eavesdrop on phones, read messages, monitor, and locate phones. The case is once again a warning lesson for many gullible people. In reality, there is no software that can monitor or read other people's messages... Therefore, if users are gullible, they will easily fall into the trap of fraudsters who appropriate property.

“Hello everyone, in our lives, no one can predict anything, including whether our husband or wife will have an affair or not. Today, our company would like to introduce to you a software to track and monitor social networking platforms such as Zalo, Facebook, Viber... and some other social platforms. Our software has the function of tracking, monitoring, reading messages and locating the other person's location.”- Around the beginning of May 2023, Ms. NT O (residing in Thai Binh) accidentally read the advertisement content on social networks. Because she was in need of using the above software, Ms. O accessed to learn and was instructed to make friends on zalo with "Ktv Manh".

During the conversation, Ms. O was instructed by a man on how to use the software; asked to transfer money to use the software, buy codes and break security. Trusting the promises of the subjects, Ms. O transferred money many times to the account requested by this person. The first time, she transferred 800 thousand VND to the subject; the second time 3.8 million VND; the third time more than 1.9 million VND; 1.8 million VND and the last time 3 million VND.

After transferring money to the account requested by the subjects, Ms. O still could not access the software and continued to contact the subject using the zalo account "Van Quang Hiteck" to exchange information, but the subject continued to request that she pay more money to be able to use it. Suspecting that she was being scammed, Ms. O did not transfer the money. The victim then contacted the subject but the number was blocked; the total amount of money lost was more than 11 million VND.

The second case is Mr. PVS (residing in Ho Chi Minh City). When accessing Facebook, Mr. S also read an advertisement for "Van Quang Positioning Software Company" selling phone monitoring positioning software. Because he wanted to use the software, Mr. S texted and was added as a friend with the number 07038... whose Zalo name is "Van Quang Hitech". Through conversation, Mr. S was instructed by a man to install the software and asked to transfer money to an account named Dao Thanh Binh. Trusting him, Mr. S transferred 26 million VND to the subjects many times. After transferring the money and seeing that they did not use the software, Mr. S contacted the subjects again but their number was blocked.

After receiving the victim's complaint, based on the collected documents, the Office of the Investigation Police Agency of Hai Duong Province Police issued a decision to prosecute the criminal case; prosecute the accused against 3 subjects including Do Viet Hung (born 1989); Le Truong Giang (born 2000) and Dao Thanh Binh (born 1991, all residing in Vinh Phuc province).

During the investigation, the authorities clarified: Around the end of April 2023, Hung rented an apartment in Ward 26, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City to live and sell phone tracking and monitoring software via social networks. Hung provided false information that he could monitor, eavesdrop, locate, and read other people's phone messages, making them trust him and transfer money to buy Hung's software.

To carry out the fraud, Hung prepared two websites including https://trackinggiamsat.com and https://dinhvitoanquoc24.top to guide customers to access. Hung created and used the fanpage "WPTT Positioning Software Company" from June 9 on the social network Facebook, then hired someone to run ads with the content that Hung's software has the ability to monitor and track phones. If customers text to inquire, these fanpages automatically reply, instructing them to make friends with zalo with the phone number registered on the advertising page to negotiate and consult.

The subject bought 3 phone SIM cards, then created 3 zalo accounts named "Van Quang Hiteck", "Ktv Manh" and "Quang Canh Ktv". These are the phone numbers introduced as contacts in the advertisements of the 2 fanpages above.

In early May 2023, Hung invited Giang to commit fraud and appropriate property; on June 1, Hung invited Binh to join the fraud. The three defendants agreed that Hung and Binh would manage the Fanpage "WPTT Positioning Software Company" and instruct customers to contact the phone number 070381... with Zalo "Van Quang Hiteck" and the number 090458... with Zalo "Quang Canh Ktv" to exchange. This Fanpage was registered on the two phones of Binh and Hung for use.

Giang manages the fanpage “JPS High-Tech Software Company” and guides customers to contact the phone number 077270… with Zalo as “KTV Manh” to discuss. This fanpage is registered on 2 phones of Giang, used by Giang.

The information for customers is exchanged directly between the subjects to work out how to deceive customers. The phones and Zalo will be shared, if one person is busy, the other will answer the phone and continue to advise customers to deceive.

The money swindled from customers was transferred to account number 00000… under the name of Tran Van Quang and number 0938395… under the name of To Quang Canh. If these accounts had errors, they could be transferred to other accounts, then the money would be transferred to Hung to manage the general expenses. In addition to paying for food, accommodation, and advertising, Hung gave Giang and Binh 7 million VND per month each.

In this case, the criminals' methods were very sophisticated. To appropriate the victims' property, after instructing them to make friends with the above Zalo, the defendants would advise that the company sells software that can eavesdrop on phones, read Zalo messages, monitor and locate phones for customers; at the same time, send the link of the website https://trackinggiamsat.com https://dinhvitoanquoc24.top to instruct customers to access and use; customers must transfer 800 thousand VND for software usage fee to the company.

When the customer agrees, the defendant will instruct them on how to transfer money to To Quang Canh or Tran Van Quang's account. After receiving the money, the subjects will give the customer the access password "id9756k" (for the website https://trackinggiamsat.com) or "468568" (for https://dinhvitoanquoc24.top) and instruct the customer to log in. At this time, the software displays 20 interfaces about zalo, facebook, telegram, chat applications... and the service package is 12 months, 24 months, 5 years, forever. At this time, the defendant will notify the software usage fee according to the corresponding package of 3 million VND, 6 million, 12 million and 15 million VND.

When the customer agrees and transfers money to To Quang Canh or Tran Van Quang's account, the subjects continue to give the customer the password "MTH946" (for the website https://trackinggiamsat.com) https://dinhvitoanquoc24.top) and instruct the customer to log in. This time, the customer cannot access it, does not see any information about monitoring and locating the phone number that he wants, so when he contacts the subjects, they continue to give other reasons such as: breaking the password, breaking the firewall, tax code, data roaming, technician's wages, file retention fees... so that the customer continues to transfer money to their account. After the customer transfers the money, the suspects will block communication.

By this method, within a period of 1 month, the defendants appropriated more than 135 million VND from 21 victims. Currently, the case is still under investigation and clarification.