Experts warn of new scam targeting students

In recent days, many people have been anxiously following the case of a 13-year-old girl in Hanoi who ran away from home, went alone to Long An and was suspected of being tricked into being sold to Cambodia, and a female student also in Hanoi who was kidnapped online, forced to film a sensitive clip and blackmailed. Fortunately, both cases were successfully rescued by the community, family and authorities in coordination.

According to Associate Professor Pham Manh Ha, University of Education , Hanoi National University, the incident shows that scammers have targeted new groups of people: children, pupils, and students, who have less skills and life experience.

Professional psychological tricks

From a psychological perspective, Associate Professor Pham Manh Ha has specifically analyzed the steps and tricks used by scammers to "crack" children's psychology.

First of all is the psychological crime: Impersonation and slander.

Seduction: "Hello, I'm an investigator. Your name is in a transnational drug trafficking/money laundering ring. We need your secret cooperation to prove your innocence."

How they manipulate: Immediately create a scary scenario, assuming false “authority.” The child is put on the defensive, panicked, and convinced that they have been involved in something terrible.

Psychological attack of "separation and isolation": Do not tell parents.

Lure: "This must be kept absolutely secret! Your parents may also be being watched. If you tell, your whole family will be in danger. Only I can help you."

How they manipulate: This is the most insidious move. By cutting off the child's safest bond with their family, they make themselves the sole "savior." The child feels alone and completely dependent on the con artist.

"Emergency" psychological attack: No time to think.

Lure: "The criminals are about to strike, you have to do it now! Take off your clothes and send me a video to verify you don't have gang tattoos. Hurry, there's no time!"

How they manipulate: Create a huge amount of time pressure, making it impossible for the child's brain to analyze right from wrong. In a panic, the child will only know how to follow mechanically.

The "innocent evidence" psychological blow: Normalizing unreasonable claims.

Seduction: "Just this one photo/clip is enough proof that you are innocent. No one will see it, I will delete it immediately after viewing it. This is a mandatory procedure."

How they manipulate: Turn an unreasonable and pathological request into a normal "procedure" to "prove innocence", making the child think this is a necessary action to save themselves.

Action, vigilance instead of criticism

“Let’s face a painful truth: when a child is deceived, many people’s first reaction is to blame the child for being naive, lacking life skills, or even criticizing the parents for not knowing how to raise their children. That way of thinking needs to stop immediately. Stop blaming the victim,” Associate Professor Pham Manh Ha emphasized.

According to Mr. Ha, criminals today do not operate alone with petty scams like before, but are organized, layered, systematic and proficient in psychological manipulation techniques. With sophisticatedly designed scenarios, with psychological manipulations calculated word by word by professional criminals, any child can become a victim, whether they are good students or fully equipped with life skills.

Therefore, we cannot blame the children or the family. The lesson is that vigilance must be put first. Parents need to always accompany their children, update information and scam tricks, share with their children to prevent and really care about all changes in their children's lives, both in terms of psychology, attitude and actions.

“Psychological criminals are always upgrading their tricks, and our job is to stay one step ahead. Instead of teaching children in a clichéd way, teach them how to recognize signs of fraud and equip them with ‘mental vaccines’ today,” said Associate Professor Pham Manh Ha.

For more specific information, Associate Professor Pham Manh Ha advises parents to teach their children:

If anyone, even if they claim to be a police officer, asks you to keep a secret from your parents, it is 100% a scam. You must hang up and tell your parents immediately.

If someone asks you to send private photos/ videos of your body, for any reason, they are a bad person and should never do so.

Your child's greatest weapon is you. No secret is worth the risk of your child's safety and the trust you place in your family.

However, Associate Professor Pham Manh Ha also noted that parents caring about their children does not mean invading their children's personal privacy, such as monitoring social media accounts, messages or diaries.

Source: VNP

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/chuyen-gia-canh-bao-thu-doan-lua-dao-moi-nham-vao-hoc-sinh-sinh-vien-20250728193148947.htm