URGENT ALERT: In recent times, tax authorities and the media have issued warnings about a new form of fraud. In this scheme, certain individuals impersonate tax officials and provide links and instructions to citizens to install fake tax authority apps on their phones. If these counterfeit apps are installed, individuals are at risk of having their personal information stolen and their bank accounts compromised.

Fraudster Tactics:

• Impersonating tax officials and contacting citizens with reasons such as helping with tax settlements, requesting updates to tax declarations, assisting with tax refunds, and tax reductions. In some cases, to gain trust, the fraudsters have cleverly issued fake notices from the Tax Department.
• Urging citizens to download and install counterfeit apps, including:
     - Sending friend requests on social media platforms and sharing links to download the counterfeit apps, asking citizens to install them.
     - After installation, the fake apps request permissions for access to the device, such as screen viewing, actions, input data, screen control, and more.
  
  IMPORTANT: Be cautious and do not engage with such requests. Always verify the authenticity of any communication from tax authorities and avoid downloading apps or sharing personal nformation without proper verification. Your security is paramount.

- After installation, the counterfeit app requests permission to access the device, such as viewing the screen, capturing actions, accessing input data, and controlling the screen. **DO NOT** grant these permissions and DELETE the app immediately if you encounter such requests. Your device's security is at risk.

Image of the counterfeit app posing as the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department

The installation of the aforementioned counterfeit apps puts individuals at risk of having their information stolen, including: Secure information stored on the phone; Information accessed during phone usage; One-time passwords (OTP/Smart OTP) sent for banking transactions... Fraudsters can use this information to access and steal money from individuals' bank accounts.

To ensure the safety of personal information, banking services, and protection of assets at the bank, Vietcombank advises customers to:

• Only install apps from trusted sources like the Play Store (for Android) and the App Store (for IOS). Do not install apps from unknown sources via links or apk files.
• In case of suspicion or if you have already downloaded or installed a fraudulent app, proactively lock electronic banking services and immediately report it to Vietcombank through the hotline 1900545413. Additionally, perform a factory reset on your device to remove any hidden malicious code installed.
• Enhance the use of biometric methods (fingerprint, FaceID, etc.) for logging into banking apps and other payment apps.
•  Do not store secure banking service information in software applications on your phone.