Staying safe
Scams got smarter. You can too.
Scammers now use AI to copy a voice, fake a face on a video call and write messages with perfect spelling. The tricks behind them are old, and a few habits stop nearly all of them.
Kit
Got a call or message that feels off right now? Run it through my 30-second check before you do anything else.
The big eight
The scams going around Vietnam
Each one plays on fear, love or greed. Learn the giveaway and you will spot the next version too.
Deepfake video call from someone you know
A short, blurry video call shows a friend or relative's face. They need money urgently and the call drops quickly.
Read moreThe giveaway
The face glitches when they turn or move a hand, and they push you to transfer before you can call them back.
A cloned voice in an emergency
A crying child or grandchild calls from a new number: an accident, a hospital, the police. A few seconds of their online videos is enough to copy the voice.
Read moreThe giveaway
Panic, secrecy (“don't tell Dad”) and money to a stranger's account. A call back to their saved number ends it.
Fake police and officials
Someone claiming to be police, a court or the tax office says your ID is linked to a crime, then asks you to install an app or “verify” your account.
The giveaway
Real police never ask for money, OTP codes or app installs over the phone, and never send links to apps.
Fake bank calls about biometrics
A caller or text says your account will be locked unless you update your face scan or details through their link.
Read moreThe giveaway
Banks never send links for this. You update biometrics only inside your bank's official app or at a branch.
“Like and review for money” tasks
An easy online job: like videos, rate shops, earn small commissions. Then a bigger “task” needs you to deposit money first.
Read moreThe giveaway
Any job that asks you to pay before you are paid is a scam, however small the first payout was.
Celebrity “AI trading bot” ads
A video of a famous face promises guaranteed profit from an AI trading bot. A friendly “adviser” moves you to a private chat group.
Read moreThe giveaway
Guaranteed returns do not exist. The profits on screen are numbers they type in, and you cannot withdraw.
Online romance that turns to money
A warm, attentive stranger chats for weeks with AI help, then needs money for a parcel, a ticket or a “sure” investment.
Read moreThe giveaway
They always avoid a live, unfiltered video call, and the money request comes after trust is built.
Fake doctor videos selling medicine
A white coat, a hospital background and an AI-made voice sell a “miracle” cure, often for diabetes, joints or weight.
Read moreThe giveaway
Real doctors don't sell cures through ads that tell you to stop your medicine. Check with your own doctor first.
Practise
Train your eye before it matters
Short, free and private. Nothing you type or choose leaves this browser.
30-second check
Answer seven quick questions about a call or message and get a clear verdict with next steps.
Fake voice call
Three calls: a crying son, a hurried boss, a friend on video. Can you get through them safely?
Scam or real?
21 phone screens: texts, chats, calls, ads, emails and QR codes. Tap scam or real.
Paste or not?
Twelve things people paste into chatbots. Paste, redact first, or never?
If it already happened
You sent money or a code. Do this now.
Minutes matter. Banks can sometimes stop a transfer that has not been withdrawn yet.
1
Call your bank
Use the hotline printed on the back of your card, or the official app. Ask them to freeze the transfer and the account that received it. If you shared an OTP or password, ask them to lock your account too.
2
Report to the police
Call 113 or go to your local police station. Give them the scammer's number or account, the receiving bank account and the time of each transfer.
3
Keep the evidence
Screenshot the chat, the call log and every receipt. Do not delete anything, even if you feel embarrassed.
4
Change and warn
Change passwords you may have given away, uninstall any app they made you install, and tell family and friends so they are not the next call.
Anyone who promises to recover your money for a fee is running the same scam a second time.
Full guide: what to do after sending money to a scammerScam safety Q&A
Straight answers
- Is that video call from my relative a deepfake?
- Can scammers clone my child's voice to ask for money?
- Is the "like and review for money" job a scam?
- I sent money to a scammer. What should I do now?
- A bank called asking me to update my biometrics. Is it real?
- How do I know if my online partner is a romance scammer?
- Are celebrity ads for AI trading bots real?
- Scam messages now have perfect spelling. How can I spot them?
- Are those doctor videos selling miracle medicine real?
- Is the overseas "easy job, high pay" offer a trap?