Authorities dismantled a ring supplying cheating devices for the National High School Graduation Examination.
N.D.G confessed that the miniature button-shaped camera device automatically recorded and photographed exam questions, sending them outside. An external group would receive the video and images of the exam questions via software. After solving the questions, they would read the answers back through a miniature earpiece.
On the afternoon of June 26th, the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department of the Lam Dong Provincial Police, in coordination with the Information Security Department of the Ministry of Public Security, the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, and Market Management Team No. 11 of the Hanoi City Market Management Department, dismantled two large-scale nationwide networks involved in the buying and selling of cheating devices for exams, just before the National High School Graduation Examination, seizing numerous pieces of evidence.
Previously, in late May 2023, the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department of the Lam Dong Provincial Police discovered two groups of individuals using cyberspace to advertise and sell devices used to facilitate cheating in exams, with connections to the local area.
On June 23, the unit coordinated with the Duc Trong District Police to summon HNH (born in 1992, residing in Lien Nghia town, Duc Trong district) to clarify his actions of creating and using a "fake" Facebook account named "NB" to post numerous advertisements for "selling and renting miniature devices for cheating in exams".
Working with the police, the suspect confessed that, seeing many people in need of miniature devices to cheat on exams and realizing the potential for quick profits from this trade, he copied images and posts from Facebook pages selling cheating devices elsewhere (mainly in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City), and used fake accounts to post advertisements. When customers contacted him to buy, he would purchase the devices from those Facebook pages and resell them at a higher price to make a profit.
HNH purchased a set of equipment but was discovered and confiscated by authorities before it could be sold to customers.
Specifically, on June 26th, the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department of the Lam Dong Provincial Police, in coordination with the Da Lat City Police, summoned LKP (born in 2000, residing in Ward 10, Da Lat City) and CTTh.L (born in 2000, residing in Ward 9, Da Lat City) to clarify their suspected purchase and rental of exam cheating devices via social media. Through questioning, the two individuals stated that they rented the cheating devices from a Fanpage called "Rent Miniature Headphones" managed by a group of individuals named "N.D.G" in Hanoi.
The Lam Dong Provincial Police have reported and requested the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department of the Ministry of Public Security to cooperate and assist in dismantling the criminal ring.
On the afternoon of June 26th, the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department of the Lam Dong Provincial Police, in coordination with the Information Security Department of the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security and Market Management Team No. 11 of the Hanoi City Market Management Department, conducted an administrative inspection and discovered that N.D.G (born in 1990, temporarily residing in Kien Hung Ward, Ha Dong District, Hanoi City) was buying and selling high-tech equipment used for cheating in exams.
The seized items included 10 sets of miniature earphones, 10 Nokia phones with wires attached containing a small microphone, and 10 miniature magnetic earpieces, approximately 2mm in size, along with hundreds of electronic components used to assemble recording devices for cheating in exams.
N.D.G confessed that when using the device, the user would insert a tiny earpiece into their ear canal, and a phone with a SIM card and microphone would be hidden in their clothing to communicate outside the exam room. The miniature button-shaped camera automatically recorded and photographed the exam questions, sending them outside. The group outside would receive the video and images of the exam questions via software. After solving the questions, they would read the answers back through the tiny earpiece.
The suspect also confessed that, since 2018, having realized that many students and workers needed to buy and use secret audio and video recording devices to aid in exams, N.D.G contacted suppliers abroad via the internet to purchase, install, and sell these miniature disguised devices.
To date, this individual has sold hundreds of sets of equipment at prices ranging from 1 to 6 million VND per unit.
Notably, authorities also discovered that N.D.G. had organized a cheating ring, guaranteeing passing in foreign language certification exams for many people nationwide for several years. This involved renting cheating devices to candidates. After candidates entered the exam room, tiny button-shaped cameras secretly took photos and videos, sending the exam questions outside. The group would then find ways to solve the questions and read them aloud to the candidates through tiny earpieces. Prices ranged from 5 to 14 million VND per certificate.
The police are currently working to expand their investigation and clarify the actions of the suspects in order to prosecute them according to the law.
