According to the National Cybersecurity Association, cybercriminals will increasingly rely on deepfake-generated images, videos, and audio clips with striking realism to impersonate acquaintances, government officials, or financial representatives. These falsified media files are often indistinguishable from genuine ones without proper digital literacy and up-to-date information, making them especially dangerous to unsuspecting victims.

Vu Ngoc Son, Head of Technology at the association, emphasized, “Online scams remain extremely complex. Users must continue to raise their awareness and vigilance.”

Alongside the rise of deepfakes, malware targeting individual users will remain a widespread threat. The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has enabled criminals to create new malware variants more easily. This development allows them to automate distribution, bypass conventional security systems, and launch targeted attacks on specific user groups.

The year 2026 is also expected to mark progress in personal data protection with the enforcement of new legislation, including the Personal Data Protection Law and the Cybersecurity Law 2025. These laws mandate greater responsibility from organizations and businesses in securing user data. Companies must now invest in cybersecurity measures proportionate to their data collection, storage, and processing activities.

However, experts caution that previously leaked personal data will continue to be exploited by criminal networks. Strengthening public digital literacy, along with refining legal frameworks and data protection capabilities, remains crucial in minimizing cybersecurity risks.

According to a recent survey by the National Cybersecurity Association, the number of online scam victims in 2025 significantly declined compared to 2024. Among approximately 555 respondents, only one person reported being scammed - equivalent to a rate of 0.18%. This marked a sharp improvement from 2024, when the rate was 0.45% (one in every 220 participants). It is the first time in years that online fraud has shown a downward trend.

Despite this improvement, familiar scam tactics persisted in 2025. These included impersonating authorities or organizations, fake prize announcements, posing as delivery personnel or acquaintances, romantic manipulation, and fraudulent investment invitations. Impersonation of police officers was the most common scam scenario recorded during the year.

“Online scammers are constantly looking for new technologies and even experimenting with new tactics to bypass detection. The threat to users in the digital space remains very real,” Vu Ngoc Son warned.

Cryptocurrency investors have also emerged as one of the most aggressively targeted groups by cybercriminals. According to recent statistics from the Ministry of Public Security, the total estimated damage caused by online scams in the first 11 months of 2025 exceeded 6,000 billion VND (more than USD 250 million).

Thai Khang