The Ministry of Public Security has just issued a warning about the reappearance of this type of property fraud.

Perpetrators collect and trade personal data, finding images of individuals from social media accounts, especially information shared publicly. Their targets include economically well-off individuals, those with high social standing, and leaders of provincial people's committees, departments, and agencies.

To execute their scheme, they use portrait photos or images showing faces, which they then edit and superimpose onto sensitive, nude, or lewd pictures. They use burner SIM cards to send mass text messages to victims' phone numbers, threatening and intimidating them, demanding transfers of USDT cryptocurrency or bank transfers.

In these messages, the criminals often demand direct contact via emails they create, aiming to erase their digital footprints.

Manipulated sensitive images. Photo: Provided by Public Security.

If victims fail to comply, the criminals post the manipulated and edited images on social media to defame, insult their honor, and damage their reputation.

Given these criminal tactics, the Ministry of Public Security advises people to limit sharing personal and family information publicly. If sensitive photos are manipulated, individuals must absolutely not transfer money as demanded.