Collage of images, personal information posted online, blackmailing Facebook account owners

Unexpectedly released photo of debt

Ms. NTH in Truong Thi Ward, Vinh City, a teacher, said that on October 16, she was surprised to see her image edited by a Facebook account simulating a newspaper article, then posted on Facebook with words warning about Ms. H.'s debt, asking her to come and meet to resolve the debt.

Along with Ms. H's photo, there are also photos of many other people and photos of various documents and ID cards, but the images are not clear.deceive peoplesee.

NT H's image was edited and posted on social media. Photo: provided by the subject

Ms. NTH said that after the subjects spread the above images and content,social network, someone called Ms. H. and said that her younger brother owed them 48 million VND for 3 years but refused to pay, so they asked Ms. H. to pay on behalf of her younger brother. Then, they added that although her younger brother owed 48 million VND, due to the current difficult epidemic situation, if she paid on behalf of him, the debt would be reduced by half, and she would only have to pay 24 million VND.

After hearing the information they gave, Ms. H. asked to meet to ask for clarification, but the caller said that because of social distancing, they could not meet, but asked her to transfer money to the account.

The subjects cut and pasted the victims' images with unclear photocopies of their ID cards and loan papers to deceive viewers. Photo: Provided by the people

Mentally threaten the victim

Ms. NTH said that realizing that the incident had signs of fraud, she checked with her younger brother and learned that he did not owe anyone any money. Therefore, she took a photo of the information posted by the subject and shared it on her Facebook to warn her friends.

However, after seeing that they could not deceive Ms. H., the subjects turned to threatening and mentally suppressing the victim by continuously calling Ms. H.'s phone number. "Every day, they called dozens of times to my private number. When they answered the phone, they did not say anything and hung up. Then they continued to call... I am very upset because it affects my work and personal life," Ms. H. said.

Not only did they continuously threaten Ms. H. with phone calls, the subjects also sent emails and text messages with the content that Ms. H. was in debt and refused to pay to the accounts of her friends and colleagues at her workplace to defame her reputation. "They even called the leaders of the agency where I worked to inform them that I owed money and asked the agency to remind employees to pay the debt" - Ms. NT H indignantly explained.

Also facing a similar situation, on October 16, Ms. NTC in Hung Loc commune, Vinh city reported to us that a social media account had edited personal photos of her and her husband and posted them on Facebook and Zalo with the content "a couple of fraudsters, in debt and refusing to pay their debts". At the same time, her husband's Facebook account was also taken over by a bad person.

Photos of Ms. NTC and her husband were edited together with debt collection content and posted online. Photo: Provided by residents.

After being upset and posting a correction to her friends on Facebook, Ms. NT C went to the police to report that she and her husband had been insulted and defamed on social media. Ms. NTC hopes that the authorities will investigate and clarify the subjects who caused incorrect public opinion, insulted the dignity of others, and affected the lives and thoughts of the people.

Beware of new scams and blackmail

After Ms. NTH and Ms. NTC posted the news about being defamed and slandered on their personal Facebook pages, many friends and acquaintances commented and responded, expressing their indignation and condemning the slander by the unknown subject. Notably, many people commented that they themselves had been slandered and mentally terrorized by the subjects using similar methods.

According to the police, after receiving reports from the people, the authorities will monitor and investigate the case. At the same time, the police also advise people to be vigilant against new scams and blackmails by cyber criminals. They exploit people's fear, lack of knowledge or fear of losing their honor to trick them into transferring money to their accounts. They even make up stories to defame, slander and use many psychological measures to terrorize the victims, forcing them to be afraid and transfer money to their friends.

Therefore, before any matter related to money or money transfer, people need to be extremely vigilant. If there are signs of ambiguity, slander, or threats, report immediately to the police for support and resolution.