Voice Phishing That Took Both Lives and Property Simultaneously

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[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] A man in his 40s, who lost over 100 million won due to telephone financial fraud (voice phishing), took his own life. The police, having apprehended some of the collectors, believe there are more victims of the organization and are tracking down the remaining members.

According to the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, on the afternoon of February 25, a man in his 40s, Mr. A, was found dead in a passenger car parked on a road in Yeongdo-gu, Busan.

The police stated, "Upon inspecting the vehicle, signs of an extreme attempt were found, and there was no suicide note," adding, "After investigating Mr. A’s acquaintances, it was revealed that he had recently been a victim of voice phishing."

As per the statements of those close to him, Mr. A’s extreme choice was due to the excessive fraudulent acts of the voice phishing organization.

Mr. A, who runs a business in Busan, received a phone call in February.

The caller, introducing himself as a financial institution official, told Mr. A, "We will provide a loan at a much lower interest rate than your current loan," and demanded repayment of the existing loan.

Burdened by the interest on his existing loan, Mr. A borrowed money from those around him after the call.

Then, the group claiming to be from the financial institution instructed Mr. A to hand over money to their staff, saying, "For refinancing, you must deposit money into credit insurance."

Following their instructions, on February 21, Mr. A handed over 24 million won in front of an elementary school in Saha-gu, Busan.

Afterward, the group summoned Mr. A to locations convenient for them to receive money, such as Busan, Gyeongbuk, Gumi, Andong, Daegu, and Ulsan, issuing orders like "Fill out related documents" and "Hand over the money."

The police have currently arrested two people, including a woman in her 30s, Ms. B, who received money on-site from Mr. A.

During the investigation, the arrested suspects claimed, "We did not know it was a voice phishing crime," and some reportedly broke down in tears upon hearing of Mr. A’s death.

The Violent Crime Investigation Unit of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency judged that the arrested suspects knowingly participated in the crime and sent them to prosecution under charges including fraud, forgery of private documents, and violation of the Act on the Regulation of Concealment of Criminal Proceeds.

The police believe there are about ten more victims besides Mr. A, with total damages amounting to several hundred million won, and are pursuing the remaining members of the group.

※ If you have difficult-to-talk-about concerns such as depression or know family or acquaintances facing such difficulties, you can receive 24-hour expert counseling through suicide prevention hotlines ☎1577-0199, Hope Phone ☎129, Life Phone ☎1588-9191, and Youth Phone ☎1388.