Vietnamese authorities have apprehended 20 individuals accused of orchestrating a large-scale operation to steal and control tens of thousands of Facebook accounts, both domestically and internationally, with profits estimated at nearly $4 million, state media reported on Wednesday.
According to VNExpress, the group stands accused of creating and disseminating malware to hijack over 25,000 high-value business accounts.
Cybersecurity police conducted multiple raids across Hanoi, the business hub of Ho Chi Minh City, and the northern Nam Dinh province throughout April, leading to the arrests.
The alleged ringleader, 31-year-old Dang Dinh Son, reportedly acquired a malware source worth $1,200 to pilfer Facebook user account information.
Hailing from Nam Dinh province, Son utilized this malware to seize control of two popular Facebook fan pages associated with photo editing sites called "Art Bay AI" and "Evoto Studio," as reported by state media.
The group then enticed Facebook users to download and install an application embedded with malware, which would infiltrate their devices.
Subsequently, the stolen data was collected and transmitted to a server under Son's control, before being distributed to five groups on Telegram. This enabled team members to hijack user accounts.
The gang monetized high-value Facebook accounts by selling them for profit, while lower-value accounts were utilized to promote advertisements for clothing and other items on e-commerce platforms.
In total, the accused reportedly profited $3.8 million from their illicit activities.
As of April, Vietnam ranked 7th globally in terms of total Facebook users, with a user base of 75.3 million, according to Statista.
