The software products have become so smart that they not only allow eavesdropping on normal calls or SMS, but the calls and SMS applied OTT apps as well

Thanh Hoa, an office worker, said she still thinks about whether to buy a smart phone. What makes Hoa hesitant is not the high price, but just because she fears that a smart phone would bring more troubles than a feature phone. She read some articles recently which said smart phone users have been cheated by “smart spyware.”

There are four eavesdropping software products mostly popular in Vietnam, namely Amaza Tracker, Spyphone, Copyphone, Mobile Spy. They are originated from other countries, compatible to most of the popular operation systems now, from Android, iOS to Windows Phone, BlackBerry. Especially, the products have been updated regularly to be suitable to the mobile phones of the latest generations.

In fact, the “high-technology devices” have been available on the market for one year already. However, unlike the previous year, when the products were advertised only on some websites, the products have been distributed by the enterprises in Hanoi and HCM City with shown addresses and contact phone numbers.

The details of the products and distributors can be found on tens of websites such as thamtunhatXXcom, anhducXXcom, phanmemXXcom, thamtutoanXX, theodoiXX.com, voXX.com…

Therefore, it is very easy to buy eavesdropping software nowadays. The products have been advertised as useful for many “good” purposes – preventing stealing, better managing children. Besides, the software can also help track husbands or wives, rivals or lovers.

While most of the distributors state that they do not take responsibility for the buyers’ behavior of using the software for illegal purposes, they actually do not care what the buyers would do with the products.

Especially, Anh Duc Company, which introduced itself as a management software supply company in Hanoi and Tu Hai Detective Service Company in HCM City have been offering to sell spyware of different kinds, from the ones designed for HTC, Samsung, Sony, Google Nexus smart phones, to the latest generation iPhone – iPhone 5S.

According to Anh Duc, the company now distributes a “preeminent” software product which can be used to all kinds of smart phones. Once operational, it would allow recording all the incoming and outgoing calls, copy the message, steal contact lists, and record images with camera…

More dangerously, with the advanced technologies, some spyware products can allow to watch the messages and free calls on Line, Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook, Yahoo. Meanwhile, the majority of the popular products can be compatible with Android and iOS based smart phones.

The information can be copied in files, and then sent to the emails of the eavesdroppers.

The selling prices of the spyware vary, which could be between VND2 million and tens of millions of dong, depending on the features of the products.

The most popular software which allows to watch OTT apps is priced at VND2 million. Meanwhile, Spyphone software (full version) is priced at VND4 million for 3-month use and VND8 million for one-year use. The buyers of the products would receive the technical assistance from the sellers during the use.