Students need to be equipped with a "digital vaccine" as soon as possible.

Parents are worried.

In recent days, the public has been quite surprised by the news that the family of a student from Nghe An province studying in Hanoi was scammed out of nearly 1.2 billion VND by an "online kidnapping" scheme. Previously, on September 23rd, after being unable to contact their daughter, LVDL (born in 2007, a student at a university in Hanoi), for many hours, the family reported the incident to the police for assistance.

After investigation, the police determined that the victim was still staying at her rented room in Dai Mo ward, had not contacted or interacted with anyone, and showed signs of panic due to being controlled and psychologically manipulated online by the scammers for four days.

At the authorities' office, L. stated that she was scammed by someone posing as a delivery driver, and the package contained illegal goods. Taking advantage of L.'s fear and panic, the scammers orchestrated a perfect scheme, forcing L. to call home and lie to her parents, claiming she needed money to prove financial capability for a student exchange program abroad. After receiving nearly 1.2 billion VND from her family, L., under threat from the scammers, transferred the entire amount to their account.

Notably, LVDL is not the only victim. Recently, authorities have reported that many students have fallen victim to similar scams.

Beyond online scams, other negative aspects of social media are causing genuine anxiety among many parents. This includes students joining negative groups on social media; incidents of students assaulting classmates or behaving inappropriately towards teachers and then posting videos online, causing public outrage; and displays of indifference and a penchant for creating controversy by insulting and belittling others in the virtual space.

Ms. TLC (residing in Vinh Phu ward), who currently has two children attending junior and senior high school, stated: "The fact that children are exposed to social media at an early age, without being adequately equipped with knowledge about real-world situations, is truly worrying. The virtual world is full of temptations; I don't know when my children might become victims of a scam or be influenced by the widespread negative behaviors we see today."

Ms. NTV (residing in Truong Vinh ward), whose child just started their first year of university in Hanoi, was very worried after hearing the story of the female student being "kidnapped online." According to Ms. V, the fact that scammers target students, especially those who lack the psychological resilience to cope with such sophisticated traps, is alarming. Ms. V also hopes that authorities will soon find solutions to combat fraud and prevent harmful and toxic information on the internet so that her children can truly have a clean environment for their studies and development.

Get ready to equip yourself with the "digital vaccine" soon.

In fact, recently, authorities have frequently publicized information about signs of online fraud. In particular, fraudsters have been impersonating police officers, prosecutors, and judges, making threatening phone calls to children and students, manipulating them into believing they are involved in a case under investigation. They then demand ransom money from their families; this tactic is considered "online kidnapping."

During the process, the perpetrators will manipulate the victim's psychology, demanding that they keep it a secret and not tell anyone. They will force or instruct the victim to leave their residence and rent a place (motel, hotel) to stay alone. Then, they instruct the victim to cut off contact with family and only communicate with the perpetrators (changing phone SIM cards, putting the phone on airplane mode, and communicating with the perpetrators via video calls from other applications). In some cases, the perpetrators may also threaten the victim into providing sensitive images or videos.

After successfully deceiving the victim, the perpetrators may text or call the family directly, informing them that the victim has been kidnapped, threatened with death, or that sensitive images or videos have been posted online... in order to demand that money be transferred to their account.

In light of this situation, recently, in accordance with Official Letter No. 4642/BGDĐT-HSSV dated August 8, 2025, from the Ministry of Education and Training regarding the warning about criminal tactics exploiting cyberspace to lure and entice students, the Nghe An Department of Education and Training has also issued a document requesting the People's Committees of wards and communes, and affiliated units to strengthen coordination with local police forces to organize propaganda and dissemination to officials, teachers, staff, students, and their families about the methods and tactics of fraud.

However, according to experts, protecting the younger generation from cyber risks cannot rely solely on parental control or intervention from authorities. More importantly, students need to be equipped with essential skills, like a kind of "digital vaccine," to protect themselves in all situations.

Dr. Tran Hang Ly from the Department of Psychology and Education, Vinh University of Education, stated: The recent tragic incidents involving students are not only a wake-up call about the seriousness of social problems but also a sign of a deficiency in psychological education, life skills, and coping skills for life's challenges. This is a very important issue, of great concern to society, and requires extensive discussion.

Dr. Tran Hang Ly also believes that it is time to implement comprehensive solutions to protect young people from the dangers of cyberspace. This includes strengthening education on life values ​​and life skills by integrating education on life values, self-esteem, and conflict resolution skills into the curriculum. Classes on life skills such as emotional management, communication, and teamwork should also be organized.

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It is necessary to prioritize psychological counseling in schools. Developing and implementing psychological counseling activities in schools, such as prevention programs, early detection of psychological problems, individual and group counseling, etc., should be done promptly and effectively to support students in overcoming stress, pressure, and psychological difficulties.

Dr. Tran Hang Ly, Department of Psychology and Education, Faculty of Education, Vinh University

Furthermore, it is also necessary to strengthen cybersecurity. Educate students to identify online risks, such as scams and online kidnappings. Organize classes and awareness campaigns to help students protect themselves when using the internet.

Close collaboration between families and educational institutions is essential to provide parents with knowledge on how to support their children's psychological well-being and education. Strengthening the connection between families and schools is crucial for monitoring and supporting students' development.

"All of the above solutions need to be implemented synchronously and in close coordination among schools, families, communities, and social organizations to create a healthy educational environment that supports and protects students' holistic development," emphasized Dr. Tran Hang Ly.