Vietnam Social Security Issues Warning Regarding Health Insurance Fraud

On November 11, Vietnam Social Security (VSS) issued an official warning against scammers posing as personnel who call citizens and attempt to obtain personal information, OTP codes, and induce the installation of suspicious applications under the promise of issuing health insurance cards or providing premium refunds within the scope of a safe zone policy.

Vietnam Social Security (VSS) drew attention to the recent rise in phone scam cases in the Dong Thap region. Impersonating agency officials, scammers call citizens to claim they are eligible for health insurance cards or premium refunds under a "safe zone policy" and request personal information under the pretext of updating entitlements. To gain trust, the suspects provided the real address of the Dong Thap Provincial Social Security Office at 152H Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Thoi Son Ward, while some of the identified phone numbers used by them include 0833992183, 0981790413, 0592043938, 0766094290, 0592045205, and 0768219744. For instance, an individual using the phone number 0981790413 introduced themselves as An, instructed the integration of social security accounts, and asked to conduct transactions through personal accounts.

In addition to phone calls, scammers also communicate via text messages and the Zalo application, requesting ID card photos, bank account details, passwords, and OTP codes. In some cases, application installation files with the .apk extension, links, or QR codes are sent to users, and screen sharing or remote control permission is requested under the guise of assisting with procedures. Such methods lead to the theft of personal data and the hijacking of bank accounts.

Vietnam Social Security (BHXH) emphasizes that citizens must under no circumstances provide personal information, ID photos, bank accounts, or OTP codes to strangers via phone, messages, Zalo, or social media. Citizens are urged not to transfer money or pay fees to individuals claiming to be BHXH officials in order to receive cards or refunds, and to stay away from links or applications from unknown sources. It is stated that procedures for health insurance premium refunds and card issuance are carried out in accordance with the agency's own regulations, and citizens are not asked for fees or OTPs during these processes; in suspicious cases, it is recommended to cut off communication and apply to the local police station or the Vietnam Social Security Customer Service Hotline at 19009068.