The phone call to lure "prey" and the price of curiosity

Missed calls lasting only a few seconds from familiar numbers like 024, 028, 022 are causing confusion among many users.

It seems harmless, but this is the opening move for a series of high-tech scam scenarios. If you have ever been curious enough to call back, you may have accidentally stepped into a trap that has been set…

The mystery behind short 2-3 second phone calls

According to the warning from the Department of Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention ( Binh Phuoc Provincial Police), recently, subjects have used numbers such as 024xxx, 022xxx, 028xxx... to call people. These calls are often very short (only about 3 seconds) and then immediately hang up, leaving missed calls on people's phones. Many people can receive 3-4 such calls in a day, causing confusion and curiosity about the purpose of the caller.

Many people constantly encounter strange numbers calling repeatedly (Illustration photo)

According to the Department of Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention, Binh Phuoc Provincial Police, the phenomenon of “spoofing calls” can be the first step in a scam. The main purpose is to verify the data that the scammer has collected, thereby classifying users to create a scam scenario later. When the user answers the phone or responds, the scammer knows that the phone number is still active and puts it on the list for sale or exploitation.

Some automated systems can also recognize voices and keywords to determine the gender, age, or response level of the listener. Although “spoof” calls do not directly steal information, they are a stepping stone to sell data to third parties, harass through advertising, or carry out scams targeting the elderly, housewives, etc. In addition, users can be tricked into calling back high-cost numbers, especially international numbers. If they continue to answer, the user’s voice can be exploited to impersonate other calls.

This form of fraud was very popular in the US and European countries in the past decade and is now returning, causing confusion for customers of network operators. This type of fraud has long been warned by domestic and international newspapers.

Ms. NTTH (residing in Tien Thanh Ward, Dong Xoai City) said that for nearly 2 weeks now, she has been continuously receiving calls from the numbers 024 and 023 in the form of "flashing" - the bell only rings for about 1-2 seconds and then turns off. The strange thing is that when she managed to pick up the phone, she heard the ringing sound, as if she was making a call, not receiving a call.

As someone who regularly updates the news, Ms. H. is well aware of phone scams, so she is always vigilant and refuses suspicious calls. However, this type of continuous "beeping" calls makes her feel confused.

"It's very annoying to be constantly bothered like this. Sometimes when I'm in a meeting or handling important work, the phone rings and then turns off immediately, or when I catch up, no one says anything. It keeps repeating like this. I wonder if this is a new scam?", Ms. H. shared.

Similarly, Mr. Tran Duc Quyen (residing in Tan Loi commune, Dong Phu district) also reported that he was often bothered by "blink" calls from strange numbers. "One day, I was called several times by numbers starting with 024 and 028.

The phone only rang briefly, and before I could answer it, they hung up. I suspected that this was a scam number, so I didn't call back, just blocked the number. But after blocking this number, they called from another number, which was very annoying and frustrating," Mr. Quyen shared.

Recommendations from authorities

The Department of Information Security, Ministry of Information and Communications, recommends that currently, forms of fraud via social networks and the Internet are increasingly sophisticated, not only limited to the online environment but also expanding to phone calls with many unpredictable tricks.

Fraudsters often target the elderly, housewives or unemployed people - people who are gullible and tend to look for opportunities to make quick money. Therefore, they easily follow the instructions of the scammers and accidentally become victims.

People absolutely do not listen to or call back strange phone numbers, especially international numbers of unknown origin (Illustration photo)

To protect yourself from scam calls, expert Do Van Thinh, Director of CMC Cyber ​​Security Operations Center (CMC Cyber ​​Security Company, CMC Technology Group), advises users in Vietnam to take the following measures:

- Users do not listen to or call back strange phone numbers, especially international numbers of unknown origin.

- You can register for spam call blocking services from network operators.

- Do not provide personal information over the phone, even if the person on the other end claims to be a bank employee, police officer or government agency.

- Contact the authorities directly if you receive a fake call to verify the information.

- Report fraudulent phone numbers to the Ministry of Information and Communications hotline via 156 or on the website chongthurac.vn.

Users can also install the Truecaller app on the Play Store or App Store to check whether the call is authenticated or not, thereby considering whether to pick up the phone to avoid the risk of fraud.

To protect yourself and your property, Binh Phuoc Provincial Police recommend that people strictly implement the following measures:

Never call back: When receiving strange calls, especially calls that only "hang up" for a few seconds or have international numbers ("+"), never call back.

Block and report: If you are constantly bothered, take the initiative to block that phone number. At the same time, report to the network operator for support, possibly via text message to hotline 5656 or via the network operator's official website.

Personal information security: Never provide personal information (ID card number, bank account, password...) over the phone, even if the other person claims to be a police officer, prosecutor, bank employee or network operator.

Beware of strange links: Never access strange links or install applications of unknown origin at the request of others.

Report promptly: When detecting any signs of fraud, immediately notify the nearest police agency for instructions on how to handle it. At the same time, share this warning information with relatives and friends to raise awareness and prevent cybercrime.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/cuoc-goi-nha-may-du-con-moi-va-cai-gia-cua-su-to-mo-post2149047150.html