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The two suspects: Luong (left) and Cuong (right) |
The perpetrators are a student and a former student of Hanoi University of Science and Technology. These individuals hacked online to steal account information from several foreign nationals, conducting fraudulent online purchases.
More than 10 shipments were successfully delivered to Vietnam…
These two “computer engineers,” Nguyen Tien Cuong and Truong Duc Luong, were both born in 1983 and hail from the same hometown. Cuong is still studying at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, while Luong recently graduated and started working as an IT staff member at the Regional Computing and Data Transmission Center I.
Through monitoring criminal activities, the Department of Investigation into Social Order Crimes (PC14) of Hanoi Police discovered that some individuals with IT expertise were using sophisticated methods to steal credit card information from foreign account holders to carry out online purchases.
Initial investigations by PC14 confirmed that Cuong and Luong’s group had engaged in these illegal transactions.
On November 24, Cuong and Luong were summoned to the investigative agency. Initially, Luong confessed that in 2004, he had made 10 online purchases from the UK and the USA, totaling approximately 1,500 euros, primarily acquiring books on computer science and foreign languages. All of these items were shipped back to Vietnam by an online sales company.
Regarding their methods, Luong stated that he accessed several forums on the Internet. On these forums, hackers had preemptively stolen credit card information (including account holder names, passwords, and other related details) and provided them to forum members for free use.
Luong downloaded this information, filled it into purchasing transactions on various e-commerce websites such as amazon.com (USA) or amazon.co.uk (UK)… Naturally, when the transactions were successful, the credit card owners unknowingly paid for items they did not purchase, while Luong relaxed in Vietnam waiting for the shipments to arrive by mail!
Most of Luong’s victims were Americans or Britons.
Using similar methods, Nguyen Tien Cuong also received numerous shipments delivered to Vietnam via the Hanoi Post Office. To conceal his identity, Cuong created a fake ID under the name Ngo Tien Cuong to present each time he went to the post office to collect packages.
However, the packages that Cuong received were not limited to just books; they also included high-end items like a SONY laptop worth $2,000 and a SONY ERICSSON phone valued at $900. These transactions occurred in early to mid-November 2005.
Looking at the above actions, Luong’s behavior seems more “cultural” than Cuong’s, as Luong only stole books. However, during the investigation, Luong explained that he could only purchase books because Amazon only shipped books to Vietnam, not other types of goods.
Luong also claimed he only stole about 150 – 200 euros at a time, with each account being used for theft only once. He believed that with such a “small” amount, account holders would not notice the loss until the end of the month, thus unlikely to file complaints. Moreover, if customers did complain, Amazon would be responsible for compensation, leaving him… blameless!
According to the initial assessment by the investigative agency, Cuong and Luong had engaged in property appropriation using sophisticated methods. The case also involves several other individuals employing similar tactics. The investigative agency has temporarily detained Cuong and Luong, confiscated related evidence, and is working with other units of the Hanoi Police to expand the investigation.
(According to Tien Phong Online)
Luong had no security information from VDC1
This was confirmed by Ms. Tran Thi Bach Cuc, Head of the Administrative Organization Department – Regional Computing and Data Transmission Center I (VDC1) regarding Truong Duc Luong, who was recently detained for online theft.
According to the records managed by VDC1, Truong Duc Luong was born in 1983 in An Hoa commune, Hiep Hoa district, Bac Giang province. At the end of June 2005, Luong graduated with decent grades from the Information Technology department at the University of Technology (Vietnam National University, Hanoi, not Hanoi University of Science and Technology as reported by some newspapers). He was accepted for a probationary position at VDC1 after passing an entrance exam. Luong’s probation period was set for two months, starting from September 11, 2005, and ending on November 11, 2005.
Ms. Cuc stated: “We assigned several tasks to continue assessing Luong’s skills and capabilities, but we did not assign any tasks related to the network of the Regional Computing and Data Transmission Center I. Therefore, we affirm that employee Truong Duc Luong did not have access to any information regarding the security system or the network of VDC1“.
Ms. Cuc also added that after the probation period, while the Center’s leadership was considering extending Luong’s contract, his online theft was discovered. Initially, Luong confessed that in 2004, he had made 10 online purchases from the UK and the USA, totaling approximately 1,500 euros, primarily acquiring books on computer science and foreign languages. All of these items were shipped back to Vietnam by the online sales company.
(According to VnMedia)
