Nghe An police warn of sophisticated "online kidnapping" tactics targeting students.

The conference attracted the attention and participation of hundreds of students, demonstrating the school's and young people's great concern about the threat of a new type of crime that is showing signs of increasing in the area.

The conference took place against the backdrop of a recent serious incident in the area, highlighting the sophistication and danger of cybercrime. Specifically, on October 1, 2025, a first-year student at Vinh University became a victim of an online scam. Taking advantage of the victim's naivety and lack of experience in responding to such scams, the perpetrators called, posing as authorities and accusing the student of involvement in a drug trafficking ring. Under constant threat, the group demanded that the victim leave their residence, rent a room at a hotel on Nguyen Van Cu Street (in Truong Vinh Ward), and then inflict self-harm, recording videos and taking photos to send to them.

These images were quickly used to fabricate a "kidnapping" scenario, sent to the family to psychologically intimidate them and demand a ransom of 150 million VND. Fortunately, the victim's family noticed the suspicious signs in time and immediately reported it to the police. Thanks to the swift and effective intervention of the authorities, the victim was identified and rescued in time, preventing any property damage. However, the incident has left serious psychological and physical impacts on the victim and simultaneously serves as a warning about the new and sophisticated tactics of high-tech criminals.

Speaking at the conference, an officer from the Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department of the Nghe An Provincial Police said that criminals are currently using cyberspace to approach victims, exploiting the naivety and lack of vigilance of young people, especially first-year students – those who are living away from home for the first time and lack self-protection skills. The type of "online kidnapping" is on the rise, with increasingly dangerous methods, impersonating authorities, causing panic to coerce victims and extort money from their relatives.

Based on the specific incident mentioned above, the police recommend that the public, especially parents with children studying at universities, colleges, and high schools, pay close attention and proactively monitor any unusual signs in their children's daily lives and mental state. Equipping children with knowledge of online safety, skills to prevent fraud, and timely sharing and support in unusual situations are key factors in preventing unfortunate consequences.

For students, it is essential to limit sharing personal information on social media, not trust strange calls, avoid accessing links from unknown sources, and always verify information about scholarships, conferences, invitations, etc., through the school or official channels. In particular, students need to be wary of unusual requests such as "don't tell anyone," "come to a secluded place," or "record videos and take photos as requested," as these could be signs of fraud or impersonation aimed at stealing money or causing emotional harm.

For families receiving threatening messages or images of "kidnapping," it's crucial to remain calm, quickly verify the loved one's actual location using phone GPS, make calls, send messages through various channels, and immediately report the incident to the nearest police station. Coordinating the extraction of CCTV footage from the home or rented accommodation and reviewing nearby hotels and guesthouses will also help quickly verify the situation and assist in the search.

Through this conference, the police force hopes to spread community awareness about the dangers of high-tech crime, especially "online kidnapping," thereby raising vigilance throughout society, particularly in schools – where criminals are increasingly targeting students.