Rapid Spread of Fake News in Daegu Amid Massive COVID-19 Outbreak

Clicking the Message Led to Full Bank Account Withdrawal and Patient 31's Rampage
False Information from Unknown Sources Circulating
Police Confirmed All Are Lies
"Strict Response to Fake News"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Various fake news is rampant in the Daegu area, where a large number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) have occurred. The police have warned that these are not true.

On the morning of the 19th, posts circulated on social networking services (SNS) stating, "A text message about Daegu COVID-19 confirmed cases came, and when clicked, the entire bank account balance was withdrawn immediately. It is said that 58 cases have been reported only to the Daegu Bukbu Police Station."

However, police verification revealed this to be fake news. The Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency stated, "The message content is completely false," and "No cases related to this content have been reported to the Daegu Bukbu Police Station."

In the afternoon of the same day, another post was shared via messengers claiming, "Patient number 31 demanded discharge and caused a disturbance, and many Shincheonji followers flocked to the hospital." This was also confirmed to be untrue after police investigation.

A police official emphasized, "The distribution of unverified fake news related to COVID-19 is being strictly dealt with by tracking and arresting not only the original producers but also the intermediaries," adding, "We ask the public to be especially cautious to prevent the spread, as it can cause serious public anxiety and social confusion."