Global Cybercrime Prevention - Milestones from Hanoi: Urgent Need

According to Cybersecurity Ventures, a US-based research and communications organization specializing in cybersecurity, global economic losses due to cybercrime in 2024 will be around 9,500 billion USD and could increase to 10,500 billion USD in 2025, a figure exceeding the GDP of most major economies.

In Vietnam, along with the strong digital transformation process, cybercrime is also increasing rapidly, requiring close coordination between authorities and people in ensuring network security.

Editor's note: The signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime is scheduled to be held in Hanoi on October 25 and 26. The Convention is the first global document on combating cybercrime of the United Nations, adopted on December 24, 2024, and chosen to be opened for signing in Vietnam. The event is not simply a signing ceremony but a step forward in Vietnam's international cooperation in combating cybercrime.

New criminal front

According to the Internet Data Reportal, an online platform that provides reports and statistics on digital behavior, about 5.65 billion people, or 68.7% of the global population, have accessed the Internet to connect with relatives, shop, learn, research and develop. This boom has brought with it the risk of billions of people around the world facing cybercrime.

Information impersonating the Social Security agency is rampant on cyberspace.

In the US, according to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, in 2024, the agency received nearly 860,000 reports of online scams, with a total loss of $16.6 billion, up more than 33% from $12.5 billion in 2023. Seniors are the most affected group, with those over 60 losing an estimated $4.8 billion to online scams last year. The most common forms include investment scams, fake tech support, romance scams and business email compromise (BEC) attacks.

The “Threat Landscape 2024” report by the European Union Agency for Cyber ​​Security (ENISA) recorded 11,000 incidents, of which ransomware and DDoS (distributed denial of service) were the two most common forms of cyberattacks with serious consequences, disrupting the operations of many organizations in the health, education and public services sectors in Europe. In Germany alone, according to the Bitkom Digital Association, in 2024, the theft of IT equipment and data, as well as sabotage in the digital and industrial sectors, will cost the country’s economy 178.6 billion EUR (200 billion USD).

Digital fraud is also on the rise in Southeast Asia. The State of Southeast Asia Fraud 2025 report, conducted by the Global Anti-Fraud Alliance (GASA), in collaboration with ScamAdviser and BioCatch, found that the financial impact of online fraud will cost the region $23.6 billion between August 2024 and August 2025.

Singapore and Malaysia were the hardest hit, with losses of over $2,100 and $1,000 per person, respectively. The majority of victims were money transfer scams (48%) and e-wallets (36%). The report also highlighted the increasing speed of online scams, their sophistication, and the psychological impact of scam victims.

One of the most notable changes in the global cybersecurity landscape is the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), which has become a new “weapon” in the hands of cybercriminals. Large language models such as GPT or Gemini are exploited to create customized malware, write phishing emails with realistic context and simulate user behavior to bypass authentication systems. This makes attacks more personalized, spread faster and much harder to detect than before.

At the same time, the strong development of the cryptocurrency market also creates conditions for criminal groups to remain anonymous, hide their tracks and conduct illegal transactions. This is the main intermediary channel for them to receive money from victims and illegally buy and sell data. Many fraud organizations operate internationally, taking advantage of differences in laws and jurisdictions between countries, making investigation, arrest and handling difficult.

Virtual network, real danger

This global cybercrime trend is also present in Vietnam. Currently, on platforms such as Facebook, Zalo, X, especially Telegram, prostitution activities are disguised and publicized as "relaxation services", "finding friends to talk to", "sugar baby - sugar daddy".

Many groups also set up “clubs” such as Phoenix Pavilion, Sailing Club, Dubai Luxury Club. The subjects organize systematically with a system of marketing staff and senior management to attract. Many groups have from several thousand to tens of thousands of members, divided by level: new - member - VIP, accordingly classifying the level of receiving appropriate information and images.

According to the reporter, many groups and administrators charge posting fees of 50,000-200,000 VND, plus a pairing fee when successful. The subjects also use AI to create attractive photo collages and post sexy short videos to attract viewers.

Recently, the Bac Ninh Provincial Police warned of online fraud targeting people who are about to retire and are receiving insurance. On September 11, Mr. T. (residing in Bac Ninh) received a call from someone pretending to be a Social Insurance officer, asking him to add Zalo account “Manh Hai” to “support procedures” for pension payment and related benefits.

The subject instructed him to log in to the VNeID and VssID applications, and send a fake image of “Electronic Insurance” with the logo and QR code of the insurance agency. Next, a person claiming to be the “insurance department head” via Zalo video asked him to transfer all the money in his bank account to verify his profile. Trusting him, Mr. T. followed suit and lost all the retirement benefits in his account.

The above examples show that cybercrime is increasingly diversified in form, with sophisticated tricks and applying science and technology to deceive authorities. Colonel Le Khac Son, Deputy Director of the Criminal Police Department (Ministry of Public Security), said that cybercrime in the third quarter of 2025 is more complicated. Although the number of cases has decreased, it accounts for a high proportion of the crime structure (fraud crimes account for over 50%, and cyber fraud alone accounts for 59%). The leader of the Criminal Police Department said that criminals often take advantage of people's curiosity to commit crimes.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, in the first 8 months of the year, the police force discovered nearly 1,500 cases of online fraud, causing losses of more than 1,660 billion VND, discovered more than 1,500 channels and groups advertising and online gambling; more than 1,500 channels and groups operating related to virtual currency and cryptocurrency transactions; nearly 200 channels and groups advertising and selling addictive substances...

Lieutenant Colonel Trieu Manh Tung, Deputy Director of the Department of Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention (Ministry of Public Security) acknowledged that while we are promoting the digital transformation process and applying science and technology to develop the economy and society, we will also have to face the increasing trend of criminals using cyberspace to commit crimes. Some groups of people even consider this a tool to make a living. Therefore, investment and development of methods and tricks are becoming more and more complicated.

In fact, not only Vietnam but the whole world is under pressure from cybercrime. With the borderless nature of cyberspace, criminals can operate anywhere and attack organizations and individuals globally. Therefore, without coordination between law enforcement agencies and international cooperation, no single country can fight this challenge alone.

DO TRUNG - TRAN LUU - TIEN CUONG - THANH HANG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/phong-chong-toi-pham-mang-toan-cau-dau-moc-tu-ha-noi-yeu-cau-cap-bach-post819287.html