Group of young men sentenced for receiving money from Chinese people to spread spam messages

The People's Court of Quang Nam province has just opened a first-instance trial and sentenced Do Quoc Chinh (born in 1990, residing in Hoa Vang district, Da Nang city) to 6.5 years in prison; Do Quoc Bao (born in 1995, residing in Hiep Duc district, Quang Nam) to 5.5 years in prison; Pham Duc An (born in 1992), Phung Van Son (born in 1998, both residing in Hiep Duc district, Quang Nam) to 5 years in prison for the crime of illegally accessing telecommunications networks.

4 young men who spread spam messages were sentenced. (Photo: T.A) — 4 young men who spread spam messages were sentenced. (Photo: TA)

According to the indictment, on the evening of March 21, 2023, on Nguyen Hoang Street (An Son Ward, Tam Ky City, Quang Nam), the Quang Nam Provincial Police Patrol Team discovered a car with license plate 92A-061.97 showing suspicious signs, so they asked to stop the car for inspection. At this time, An was driving Chinh, under Chinh's seat there was a laptop with the screen on and devices suspected of being fake BTS transmitters.

Checking the laptop, the authorities discovered running software that displayed the mobile network parameters at the location where the car was stopped: MCC, MNC, LAC, RSSI, Capture Times, MGS Send. The history of detecting about 15,000 spam messages was recorded during the day.

The investigation results determined that Chinh worked as a tour guide, specializing in leading Chinese tourist groups to Vietnam. In 2019, Chinh led a tour group and met Ly Phong in Sichuan province, China. Knowing that Chinh was unemployed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ly Phong proposed sending fake BTS devices for Chinh to spread spam messages to Ly Phong in Vietnam.

Chinh only needed to install this device on the car and it would automatically spread spam messages to Viettel and Mobifone mobile subscribers within a radius of 50m-100m when the car was moving. Ly Phong agreed to pay Chinh 1 million VND/30,000 messages/day (ie more than 33 VND/message).

In early August 2022, Ly Phong sent Chinh a set of BTS station simulators to spread spam messages and a laptop. After being instructed by Ly Phong on how to do it, Chinh and Bao (Chinh's younger brother) discussed and agreed to use Bao's car to install the BTS device on the car and run it to spread spam messages in Da Nang City. After that, Ly Phong sent 2 more sets of equipment and asked Chinh to find more people to do it together. Chinh told Bao to find more people to spread spam messages, so Bao contacted Son to do it together.

According to Chinh's assignment, Son spread spam messages in Da Nang City, receiving 750,000 VND/30,000 messages/day, while Chinh received the difference of 250,000 VND. Son participated in spreading spam messages from September 10, 2022 to September 25, 2022, then quit and returned the devices to Chinh.

From September 2022 to December 31, 2022, Ly Phong transferred more than 102 million VND in wages to Chinh. Chinh paid more than 71.6 million VND to Bao, more than 17.4 million VND to Son, and Chinh benefited more than 13 million VND. In mid-February 2023, Ly Phong asked Chinh to continue spreading spam messages, the agreed salary was 500,000 VND/10,000 spam messages (ie 50 VND/message). Because Son quit his job, Chinh contacted An to join. Under Chinh's direction, An and Bao used a vehicle to spread spam messages in Da Nang City, Thua Thien - Hue, and Quang Nam.

From March 16, 2023 to March 20, 2023, Chinh assigned Bao to spread spam messages in Gia Lai province and was discovered and caught red-handed by Gia Lai Provincial Police. On March 21, 2023, Chinh and An spread messages in Da Nang City and Quang Ngai. When they returned to Quang Nam to spread spam messages, they were discovered and caught red-handed by Quang Nam Provincial Police.

According to statistics, from mid-February 2023 to March 21, 2023, Ly Phong paid Chinh 91.7 million VND. Chinh divided 41.6 million VND for Bao, 31.8 million VND for An, and Chinh benefited 18.3 million VND. From September 2022 to March 21, 2023, the defendants distributed spam messages to Ly Phong, earning a total profit of more than 194.5 million VND.

UNIFIED

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