“Uncovering the Illicit Activities of a Group Illegally Accessing 21,000 Bank Accounts”

The Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Division of the Da Nang City Police, in coordination with the Thanh Binh Ward Police, have recently busted an interstate criminal group specializing in the illegal collection, storage, exchange, and use of international credit card account information.

According to the police, from November 2024 until their apprehension, the suspects had illegally collected, stored, exchanged, and used information from over 21,000 accounts to place thousands of orders on Amazon’s e-commerce platform, resulting in the theft and illegal profits of billions of dong.

The ringleaders of this operation were identified as T.D.D, a resident of Nha Trang City in Khanh Hoa Province, and N.Q.K, from Thanh Khe District in Da Nang City. Upon inspecting two houses located on Quang Trung and Trưng Nữ Vương streets in Da Nang, authorities discovered dozens of individuals using electronic devices to engage in illegal cyber activities. During the raid, the police confiscated 15 mobile phones, 2 laptops, 16 CPU units, and 5 computer monitors.

Initial investigations revealed that T.D.D colluded with N.Q.K in early 2025 to rent two houses in Da Nang City. They then purchased high-end electronic equipment and recruited 15 individuals with information technology expertise to carry out their scheme. The group employed various tactics, including exploiting security vulnerabilities to create automated software tools for collecting international bank card information with the intent to steal.

Specifically, from November 2024 until their arrest, the group illegally collected, stored, exchanged, and used information from over 21,000 international credit card accounts (including VISA, Mastercard, and Discover cards) to place thousands of orders on Amazon, resulting in significant financial losses and illegal profits.

Based on the evidence gathered, the Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Division has decided to prosecute the case under the criminal offense of “Illegal collection, storage, sale, and disclosure of bank account information.” The case has been transferred to the Investigative Police of Da Nang City for further handling.

In light of this incident, the police advise citizens to exercise caution and thoroughly research information before using bank account services. It is important to only provide information on official websites. Additionally, when traveling abroad, individuals should be vigilant about protecting their personal information during transactions to prevent staff from copying or photographing their card details, thereby reducing the risk of Mastercard or Visa card information theft.