Regional Workshop: Raising awareness of virtual asset issues and related scams

The event was organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in coordination with the Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention (A05), the Women’s Department of the People’s Public Security, and Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security. The workshop aimed to enhance knowledge and response capacity regarding virtual asset issues and scams related to virtual assets.

Lieutenant Colonel Dao Thi Thu Huyen, Deputy Head of the Women's Department of the People's Public Security, delivering the opening speech at the workshop. (Source: Phap luat Newspaper)

In her opening remarks, Lieutenant Colonel Dao Thi Thu Huyen, Deputy Head of the Women’s Department of the People’s Public Security, affirmed that digital technology brings many opportunities, but also poses considerable risks to youth and women. She noted that scams involving virtual assets are becoming increasingly sophisticated, requiring greater vigilance and awareness from the community.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Dao Thi Thu Huyen, women are a vulnerable group, but at the same time they are also an important force in spreading awareness.

“The women of the People’s Public Security always strive and remain committed to accompanying functional agencies in communication and education efforts. We believe that improving digital capacity for women as well as young people will contribute to reducing risks arising from high-tech crime.

In addition, ASEAN regional cooperation is key to preventing illicit financial flows. Each country needs to share experience and work together to build effective coordination mechanisms. I wish all participants good health and happiness. I hope the workshop will be a success and open up many practical initiatives for the region,” she emphasized.

Captain Pham Khanh Hoa, a representative from A05 (Ministry of Public Security), sharing at the event. (Source: Phap luat Newspaper)

Speaking at the event, Captain Pham Khanh Hoa, representative of A05 under the Ministry of Public Security, stressed that amid rapid global digital transformation, emerging technologies such as blockchain, virtual assets, and cryptocurrencies offer many development opportunities, but at the same time pose significant challenges to ensuring security and social safety.

She said Vietnam, as well as many countries in Southeast Asia, has been strongly affected by online scam networks, cross-border scam centers, and money laundering activities through virtual assets, all of which are increasing in both scale and sophistication.

Criminals have taken advantage of limited understanding, gullibility, and the desire for quick investment and profits among some citizens to carry out fraudulent activities. Therefore, raising awareness, equipping people with knowledge about blockchain technology, improving risk identification, and strengthening prevention skills are urgent requirements.

Captain Pham Khanh Hoa also affirmed: “We identify prevention as a key factor, in which proactive participation from the community, especially women and young people, plays an extremely important role. Women of the People’s Public Security are also a core force in communication efforts, raising awareness, and spreading digital safety skills to families and society".

30 young police officers, lecturers, and representatives from women's and youth associations, as well as officials from Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries, attended the workshop to prevent illicit financial flows from scam centers on digital assets. (Source: Phap luat Newspaper)

During the two-day workshop from June 29 to 30, delegates exchanged views on the overall picture of threats related to digital assets and crime trends in countries across the region. According to the representative from A05, these issues are becoming increasingly complex and transnational, directly affecting citizens, especially women and youth, who are among the groups most vulnerable to becoming targets of criminals in cyberspace.

The workshop also aims to enhance the capacity of regional officials directly working in this field, not only in law enforcement and handling cases, but also in prevention and public awareness efforts, especially in improving knowledge for youth and women in the digital asset sector.

Within the framework of the event, delegates also listened to presentations by experts from Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Brunei, and Vietnam.

Delegates shared models and experiences in combating virtual asset-related crimes among countries in the region. They also discussed new trends, especially scam methods targeting women and youth, while proposing solutions to strengthen regional cooperation and improve the effectiveness of law enforcement as well as public communication and education efforts.

The discussions are expected to help develop recommendations to promote the participation of women and youth in combating high-tech crime, while contributing to building a safe and healthy cyberspace.

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