Back-to-School Scam Alert: Fake School Staff, Tuition Fraud, and Kidnapping Hoaxes Target Students and Parents

Overview of Scams

As the 2026-2027 school year approaches, criminal groups are exploiting the financial burden and anxiety of students and parents through multiple fraud schemes. Police authorities across Vietnam have reported the following patterns.

Scam Type 1: Tuition Fee Fraud

How It Works

Fraudsters execute the scheme through these steps:

• Information Gathering: Collecting student and parent data via social media, fraudulent online surveys, or data management vulnerabilities
• Impersonation: Creating fake accounts on Zalo and Facebook that closely mimic teachers' profiles using collected names and student lists
• Trust Building: Infiltrating existing classroom Zalo groups via free joining links or creating fake family groups
• Financial Demands: Posting detailed invoices for tuition, uniforms, class funds, learning materials, and insurance
• Psychological Pressure: Creating urgency with phrases like "must complete today" or "early filing discounts"
• Fake Bank Accounts: Setting up accounts using personal names or names resembling educational institutions

Warning Signs

• School communications should be verified through official websites or pre-confirmed contact numbers
• Check when teacher accounts were created, follower counts, and post history
• Expressions creating urgency or artificial deadlines are red flags
• Contact the school directly by phone to verify the account identity

Scam Type 2: Student ID Fraud

How It Works

• False Authority: Criminals pose as police officers claiming there are errors in the student ID number, preventing school transfer approvals
• Information Extraction: Requesting national ID card numbers, student identification codes, or suspicious link clicks (installing fake public service apps)
• Account Takeover: Using obtained information to compromise parent accounts

Why It's Convincing

The student ID is actually a 12-digit personal identification number used for national database verification, enrollment management, and grade transfers, making parents readily believe their child has a problem.

Prevention Tips

• Police or school officials never request personal ID information online
• Never click suspicious links or download unexpected apps
• Call the school directly to verify any issues with student records

Scam Type 3: Online Kidnapping Hoax

The Scheme

Fraudsters execute this through five distinct stages:

• Stage 1: Creating fake websites, Facebook pages, and accounts impersonating universities, educational institutions, scholarship programs, or international exchange organizations
• Stage 2: Announcing scholarship opportunities, recruitment drives, or part-time positions, then collecting personal data, family contacts, schedules, photos, and ID documents after registration
• Stage 3: Conducting fake online interviews, training sessions, and financial verification checks, luring victims to private locations
• Stage 4: Isolating the victim—confiscating phones, cutting off family contact, restricting movement citing data security concerns
• Stage 5: Using the victim's social media or phone number to contact family, falsely claiming the child has been kidnapped and demanding ransom

High-Risk Targets

• High school seniors
• University freshmen
• Students in remote or ethnic minority areas (limited information access)

How to Identify

• Legitimate scholarship programs don't suddenly announce job openings after registration
• Unknown recruitment never asks for physical submission of identity documents
• Restricting outside contact under "data security" pretexts is not standard practice
• Verify job postings through official university and company websites

Prevention Checklist

For Parents

• Always verify school financial requests by calling the school's official number
• Confirm bank account names exactly match the school name (personal account names suggest fraud)
• Monitor your child's activities and plans closely
• Never follow links or download apps requesting identity information

For Students

• Access scholarship and job information only through official university websites
• Inform family immediately if online interviews request in-person meetings
• Consult family before downloading new applications
• If a job posting requests identity documents, call the company directly to verify

Where to Report

If you suspect fraud, report to:

• Vietnamese Police Department (local police stations)
• Online Hotline: 1800-1522 (fraud reporting)
• School Administration: Report fraudulent accounts or messages
• Social Media Platforms: Use built-in fraud reporting features on Facebook and Zalo