Network operators send flash messages to pickpocket customers?

A type of Flash message that subscribers receive. (Photo: Vietnam+)

At the state management meeting on March 10, Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Information and Communications, said that this unit and the Vietnam Computer Emergency Response Center (VNCERT) had submitted a report to Minister Nguyen Bac Son on content services and spam messages of mobile information companies.

Notably, mobile information companies have used flash messages to collect money from users.

Flash messages are messages that appear on the phone, forcing the user to open the message. After that, the message automatically disappears and is not saved on the recipient's phone.

Notably, when users open the message, it will activate the application available on the sim such as LiveInfo (MobiFone) and V-live (VinaPhone).

Specifically, when the user selects "Accept" (for VinaPhone flash sms) or OK (MobiFone), the device will display a Menu and when touching the items of this Menu, the phone will automatically send messages to the numbers and deduct money from the main account.

Mr. Hung recommended that the Ministry of Information and Communications better direct the management of this flash spam message situation.

In fact, Directive No. 02/CT-BTTTT dated January 14, 2014 of the Minister of Information and Communications on the organization of the Lunar New Year 2014 required businesses to prevent acts of taking advantage of telecommunications networks and the Internet to send and disseminate emails and text messages with illegal content.

On January 27, 2014, VNCERT Center also issued Official Dispatch No. 25, the Ministry Inspectorate issued Official Dispatch No. 77/Ttra to mobile information enterprises to prevent and stop sending this type of messages.

That shows that although state management work has been deployed promptly, state-owned enterprises have not implemented it.

In fact, since July 2012, Vietnam+ readers have reported that MobiFone subscribers have received many flash messages, including “provocative” messages.

At that time, MobiFone representative confirmed that they did not provide the above offensive content.

Currently, Vietnam+ reporters have sent questions to two network operators, VinaPhone and MobiFone, and will continue to inform readers when they receive answers./.

According to Vietnam+