As economic crimes such as voice phishing and fraud have increased amid social turmoil caused by COVID-19, the Financial Supervisory Service issued a consumer alert of 'Caution' on the 8th.
According to the legal community, voice phishing organizations approach victims with excuses such as "Low-interest non-face-to-face loans are available," "To receive emergency disaster relief funds, enter your account number and password," and "Your account is being used as a mule account, so a phone investigation is necessary." They induce victims to install remote control apps and access mobile banking to steal balances. In particular, the methods are becoming increasingly sophisticated, such as using account information for new voice phishing scams to implicate victims as accomplices in crimes.
Voice phishing is classified as a serious crime with significant social and economic damage, and the punishment standards are strict. The ringleaders of the crime can face up to 10 years in prison, middle-level accomplices such as call center managers up to 7 years, and simple accomplices such as account recruiters, profit distributors, and withdrawal agents up to 5 years in prison, with possible aggravated punishment. In some cases, simple accomplices are both perpetrators and victims.
According to a criminal defense lawyer at Law Firm Daeryun, "Voice phishing is a clear fraud case, and although its methods and severity are widely known, most individuals fail to suspect a crime when they receive voice phishing messages," adding, "Not only financial damage but also exposure of bank accounts or personal transaction information can lead to being implicated as a participant in voice phishing."
As a similar case, "There was a client who received a text message claiming to be from a bank loan officer offering low-interest non-face-to-face loans and provided their check card and password via courier service, resulting in the account being suspended," the lawyer explained. "The client was investigated by the police on suspicion of aiding fraud but, with the help of a criminal defense lawyer, asserted their innocence and the case was closed with a non-prosecution decision due to lack of evidence."
The criminal defense lawyer advised, "In cases where one is suspected of participating in voice phishing, many people give unfavorable answers to investigators due to the embarrassment of being involved. Since initial responses often lead to verdicts, it is necessary to seek a specialized lawyer who can provide legal assistance related to voice phishing. Before prosecution, it is important to examine the legitimacy of the charges, the requirements for establishment, and whether they are met, securing favorable circumstances regarding the motive and context to avoid excessive or unfair punishment."
Law Firm Daeryun is a network law firm with offices in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, Changwon, and Jinju, providing criminal law services specializing in economic crimes (voice phishing, fraud, embezzlement, breach of trust, etc.) and violent crimes (sex crimes, theft, robbery, violence, murder, etc.).
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