Warning: Sharing photos with updated commune names on VNeID may expose personal information.

From July 1st, 2025, many localities nationwide officially implemented the merger and renaming of administrative units according to resolutions of the National Assembly Standing Committee. New information such as the names of communes, wards, and towns has also been quickly updated on the VNeID electronic identification application.

Soon after, many users expressed their delight at seeing the new address appear on the application. On social media, numerous posts shared screenshots of the VNeID interface with the new information, accompanied by comments such as: "I've seen the new commune name," "I've finally found my new hometown name!"...

However, according to warnings from cybersecurity experts, posting screenshots of the VNeID interface without concealing information can inadvertently expose users' full names, dates of birth, citizen identification numbers, permanent addresses, personal identification codes, etc. These are sensitive data that, if exploited by malicious actors, could lead to fraudulent activities.Impersonation.

In the digital age, personal data is considered a "gold mine" for fraudsters. In fact, there have been many cases recently of identity theft to obtain online loans, debt collection calls despite never having applied for a loan, or bank account hijacking simply because personal information was leaked from photos or online forms.

Besides being scammed into taking out loans, users can also have their social media accounts hacked, which contain a lot of data, images, friends, and even linked bank card information. Many victims have had their Zalo and Facebook accounts compromised and been scammed out of money by friends simply because their VNeID QR code was revealed in a photo.

Mr. Vu Ngoc Son, Head of the Technology Research Committee of the National Cybersecurity Association, stated that the enthusiastic sharing of citizen ID card images on social media after being updated with the new permanent residence address according to the new administrative boundaries could potentially lead to the leakage of personal information.

Mr. Vu Ngoc Son also strongly advised against posting photos of ID cards, driver's licenses, bank cards, etc., online. He urged people to carefully conceal information such as ID numbers, addresses, and QR codes. He also stressed the importance of thoroughly checking privacy settings before posting and remaining vigilant against any unusual contact after information is leaked.

How to protect your personal information when using VNeID

In light of the above situation, the Department of Administrative Management of Social Order (C06, Ministry of Public Security) and security experts recommend that people take the following measures:

Do not share photos of your VNeID publicly.

If you need to share this information, please blur out the important parts: Full name, ID number, identification code, QR code, address, and date of birth.

Set up security for the VNeID app.

Set a PIN or use biometric authentication (fingerprint or facial recognition) to unlock the app.

Do not lend your phone to others while VNeID is enabled.

Never send your citizen identification card photo to strangers.

Even if someone claims to be a police officer, bank employee, or support agent, you need to thoroughly verify the source.

Be wary of strange messages and calls.

When someone has access to your personal information, don't be complacent – ​​your data may have been leaked.

People need to raise their awareness about personal data security, especially in the context of increasingly sophisticated cybercrime. An unintentionally shared photo can lead to serious trouble.