How to check if a website is a scam? What is the penalty for the act of forging websites of other organizations or individuals in Vietnam?
How to check if a website is a scam in Vietnam?
Information from the Ministry of Information and Communications, to proactively be vigilant against fake and fraudulent information when using services and transactions on the Internet. People can look up information and check the website they visit in the following ways:
Method 1: Look up by message
The message syntax is as follows:
TCTM <domain name or website link> to 156
Note: Lookup messages will not be charged.
Method 2: Access the Online Domain Name Lookup System
Searching and checking websites through the online domain name information lookup system is done according to the following steps:
- Step 1: Access the domain name information lookup system under the link <https://tracuutenmien.gov.vn/>
- Step 2: At the homepage, enter the website's domain name in the search bar then click "Search".
Examples are as follows:
- Step 3: The system will automatically look up and return the website inspection results including: Domain name, Domain name type, Name of registered subject to use, Registrar management, Registration date, Expiry date.
Examples are as follows:
Method 3: Check website through Online Information Security Utility
The online information security utility is a free information security tool for Vietnamese people to check for phishing websites announced by the National Cyber Security Monitoring Center (NCSC) in March 2020. .
To check a phishing website through the Information Security Utility, people do the following:
- Step 1: Access the Information Security Utility via the link <https://soc.gov.vn/check-phishing>
- Step 2: At the homepage, enter the website URL information and click the "Search" box
- Step 3: The system will return the results of checking whether the website is safe or not. Note that: The results appearing on the system are for reference only, helping users to add more information to evaluate the website is safe to access.
How to check if a website is a scam? What is the penalty for the act of forging websites of other organizations or individuals in Vietnam?
What is the penalty for the act of forging websites of other organizations or individuals in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 99 of Decree 15/2020/ND-CP on violations of regulations on websites as follows:
Violations against regulations on websites
1. A fine ranging from VND 5,000,000 to VND 10,000,000 shall be imposed for providing insufficient or inaccurate information on name of the organization managing the website, name of its supervisory authority (if any), contact address, email address, phone number and name of the person in charge of contents of the website's homepage.
2. A fine ranging from VND 10,000,000 to VND 20,000,000 shall be imposed for the commission of one of the following violations:
a) Providing or sharing paths/links to other websites with contents in violation of laws;
b) Disseminating information on or inciting violence, pornography, debauchery, crimes, social evils, superstitions, or sabotage of national good traditions and customs.
3. A fine ranging from VND 20,000,000 to VND 30,000,000 shall be imposed for the commission of one of the following violations:
a) Providing false information with the aims of distorting, slandering or damaging the prestige, honor and dignity of other organizations or individuals;
b) Posting, delivering or using images of Vietnam’s map which does not indicate the entire and accurate national sovereignty;
c) Advertising, disseminating information on or trading in prohibited goods/services;
d) Forging websites of other organizations or individuals;
dd) Posting/delivering journalistic, literature and arts works and other publications without the consent from holders of intellectual property rights over such works, or which are not allowed to be distributed or subject to a distribution prohibition or confiscation decision.
4. Additional penalties:
The exhibits and instrumentalities used for committing any of the violations in Clause 3 of this Article shall be confiscated.
5. Remedial measures:
a) Enforced removal of paths/links to false, misleading or violating information in case of commission of any of the violations in Clause 2 and Clause 3 of this Article;
b) Enforced revocation or return of domain names in case of commission of any of the violations in Clause 2 and Clause 3 of this Article.
Simultaneously combined with the provisions in Article 4 of Decree 15/2020/ND-CP as amended and supplemented by Points a, b, c, Clause 5, Article 1 of Decree 14/2022/ND-CP, act of forging websites of other organizations or individuals will be handled as follows:
- Monetary fine:
+ A fine ranging from VND 20,000,000 to VND 30,000,000 for organizations;
+A fine ranging from VND 10,000,000 to VND 15,000,000 for individuals;
- The exhibits and instrumentalities used for committing any of the violations shall be confiscated.
- Enforced removal of paths/links to false, misleading or violating information
- Enforced revocation or return of domain names
Which agency is responsible for publishing websites showing signs of law violation in Vietnam?
Pursuant to the content specified in Clause 6, Article 13 of Decree 181/2013/ND-CP as amended by Clause 1, Article 1 of Decree 70/2021/ND-CP as follows:
Provision of cross-border advertising services in Vietnam
...
6. Advertising service providers, advertisement distributors and advertisers shall not cooperate in advertisement distribution with websites marked as violating against the law by competent authorities on the website of the Ministry of Information and Communications.
Thus, according to the above regulations, the Ministry of Information and Communications is the competent authority to publish websites showing signs of law violation. The list of infringing websites is publicly updated on the portal of the Ministry of Information and Communications.
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