On 21/9, Phuong, a resident of Buon Ma Thuot ward, was indicted by Dak Lak Provincial Police for illegally providing or using computer network and telecommunication network information, and for gambling.
His twin brother, Nguyen Hung Nam Phuong, was indicted for gambling.
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Police discovered 120 million personal data records on the electronic devices of the Phuong brothers. *Photo: Dak Lak Police*
Previously, Dak Lak Provincial Police's Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department detected a group showing signs of illegally buying and selling personal information and data, and engaging in online gambling.
When working with Trung Phuong and Nam Phuong, police inspected their electronic devices, seizing two mobile phones and a desktop computer. Through data extraction, officers discovered approximately 120 million personal data records linked to various provinces, cities, agencies, and businesses across the country.
The data covered various sectors, including credit, banking, telecommunications, healthcare, officials, civil servants, business households, and enterprises. It contained information such as full names, dates of birth, citizen identification numbers, addresses, phone numbers, positions, and occupations.
According to initial investigations, this group illegally collected data online, then analyzed, synthesized, and sold it to customers as requested to gain illicit profits.
To conceal their activities, they used anonymous Facebook and Telegram accounts, transacted with USDT cryptocurrency, utilized non-owner bank accounts, and set messages to auto-delete. Notably, the profits from selling personal data were used for online gambling.
The investigating agency is continuing to clarify the roles of those involved and the group's other activities.
Dak Lak Provincial Police advises citizens to limit sharing personal information on social media and unnecessary platforms; be wary of suspicious links, QR codes, and unknown applications; strengthen account security; and not provide one-time password (OTP) codes, passwords, or financial information to others.
Tran Hoa
