From Fake News to Mask Scams and Impersonating Infected Patients... Police "Strict Response"

Illegal Activities Surge Amid COVID-19 Spread
63 Cases Under Investigation for False Information and Personal Data Leaks
Mask Hoarding and Sales Fraud Also Detected
Strong Action Against Refusal of Health Authorities' Mandatory Measures

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Various illegal activities related to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), such as the dissemination of false and manipulated information, personal information leaks, hoarding and fraudulent sales of masks, are rampant. The police plan to strictly prosecute acts that refuse preventive measures by health authorities, including 'fake news,' refusal of testing, hospitalization, and quarantine orders.

63 Investigations Underway for Fake News and Personal Information Leaks... 'Smishing' Also Continues

According to the National Police Agency on the 20th, the police have investigated 63 cases related to false and manipulated COVID-19 information and personal information leaks, arresting 36 cases involving 49 individuals. Among the arrested cases, 26 involved the dissemination of false and manipulated information (34 people), and 10 involved personal information leaks (15 people).

Notably, among the arrested cases, 10 involved the spread of unverified false and manipulated information and personal information through local 'mom cafes' and other online communities, and 8 involved leaks of internal report photos taken by officials and others related to their work. In Seoul, three public officials were booked for leaking official documents from the Seongbuk-gu Public Health Center containing confirmed patients' movement paths on social networking services (SNS), and in Busan, a police officer was sent to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment for leaking internal police station messages related to suspected infected individuals on SNS.

Furthermore, the police requested the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) and site operators to delete or block 241 posts containing false and manipulated information that could cause social confusion. Especially in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, where infections surged, the police are intensively monitoring false and manipulated information, investigating production and distribution channels, and requesting deletion and blocking from the KCSC and others.

In addition, smishing that exploits public anxiety by inducing the installation of malicious programs with phrases like 'free mask distribution' continues to occur. So far, the police have confirmed and are investigating two cases. One involved sending an internet URL linking to an asset manager channel's sign-up page with the phrase 'Check domestic Wuhan pneumonia infected and contacts,' and the other involved sending a URL leading to a malicious program download with the content 'Free mask distribution related to coronavirus.' The police urged the public to exercise special caution by not clicking on links from unknown sources.

Mask Sales Fraudster Embezzled Tens of Millions of Won

Investigations are also underway for 581 cases of mask hoarding and sales fraud, with 9 cases of hoarding and 572 cases of sales fraud. In Ulsan, a suspect was arrested for deceiving three people in a used goods trading cafe by claiming to sell masks and embezzling 98 million won (equivalent to 100,000 masks). In Chungnam, three mask manufacturers and sellers who sold 55,000 defective masks, which had been ordered for recall and disposal by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, on internet shopping malls were caught and sent to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment.

The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency is investigating a distribution company that stored 4.11 million masks, exceeding 150% of the average monthly sales volume from the 1st to the 10th of this month. The police are supporting the government joint crackdown team on mask hoarding with 30 personnel and have designated 10 police stations as responsible investigative agencies to focus their efforts on 198 cases of mask sales fraud.

There have also been eight cases of individuals impersonating COVID-19 infected persons. A 20-year-old YouTuber who pretended to be infected on the Busan subway was sent to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment, and a 20-year-old who caused a disturbance in a Seoul restaurant and feigned infection at a police station after being arrested on the spot was also sent to detention.

On the 20th, medical staff are examining a suspected COVID-19 symptomatic patient who arrived by an ambulance from the Jongno-gu Public Health Center at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

"Strict Prosecution for Refusal of Health Authority's Forced Measures"

Acts violating infectious disease prevention measures, such as refusing testing, hospitalization, and quarantine orders from health authorities, will also be strictly prosecuted. The police have agreed to immediately respond and cooperate with forced measures when health authorities request on-site support related to COVID-19. They also plan to firmly deal with acts that obstruct necessary preventive measures, such as assaulting or using physical force against related officials. Failure to comply with health authorities' orders may result in fines of up to 3 million won.

A National Police Agency official stated, "Refusal of testing, hospitalization, and quarantine orders, production and dissemination of false and manipulated information, mask hoarding, and sales fraud are serious illegal acts that adversely affect the national economy and cause public anxiety and social confusion. We will respond strictly and firmly, including arrest investigations." He added, "We ask for the public's special attention and cooperation."