Two young men based in Hanoi have stolen nearly VND300 million (US$14,120) from smartphone users by conning them into downloading and using a porn video app that can covertly deduct money from their mobile phone accounts.

Dinh Trung Kien, 23, and Tran Minh Nam, 21, have been arrested by the cybercrime unit of the Hanoi police, or PC50, five months after the pair first released their money-stealing app on the Internet, according to officers.

The two suspects jointly founded the Co Ngay (Immediately Available) JSC, headquartered in Cau Giay District, to distribute around 200 smartphone apps, including “XVideos,” via a website.

All of the apps include a secret code that can subtract money from users’ mobile phone accounts without their knowledge.

The “Xvideos” app offers free porn videos to attract users. Once installed, it will charge users VND15,000 without any warning or notice messages.

If the mobile phone account balance contains less than VND15,000, the app will charge them VND10,000, then VND5,000, depending on the balance.

The suspects have appropriated VND300 million from victims over five months.

Ngo Minh Quang, head of the e-commerce team with PC50, said smartphone apps pose hidden threats if users do not know how to appropriately protect their personal data and assets.

“At a time when the unlicensed app market is booming, people are more vulnerable to dangerous apps,” he added.

By downloading and installing apps infected with viruses or malicious software, people risk having their devices damaged or losing their data, personal information and money in their mobile phone account, Quang said.

“Smartphone users are thus advised to carefully study the apps before installation, and pay close attention to their origins or producers.”

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