April Voice Phishing Damage Increases by 20% Compared to Previous Month... Police Urge Caution Again

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters analyzed the status of phone financial fraud (voice phishing) damage last month and warned that both the number of cases and the amount of damage increased compared to the previous month.

According to the police on the 26th, the number of phone financial fraud damage cases last month was 2,497, an increase of 430 cases compared to March (2,067 cases). The amount of damage also rose by 10.7 billion KRW to 60.6 billion KRW from 49.9 billion KRW the previous month. The number of arrests and suspects last month also showed an increasing trend, with 2,118 cases and 2,006 people respectively, compared to 1,698 cases and 1,727 people the previous month.

Earlier, the police had requested caution regarding phone financial fraud crimes last month. They advised directly searching for and connecting to financial institution phone numbers, installing antivirus programs, conducting regular checks, and appealed for "raising awareness among each citizen and sharing information with those around them."

However, the police diagnosed the increase in damage as due to low vigilance. Many citizens still think "I won't be victimized" while recalling past sloppy phone financial fraud scenarios and the tone of the operators. A police official explained, "It is like confidently thinking, 'I am healthy, so I don't need to go to the hospital because I won't get a serious illness.'"

The police reiterated that phone financial fraud organizations meticulously design scenarios by fully utilizing communication technologies, exploiting loopholes in communication and financial systems, and using malicious applications (apps) and remote control apps. They install malicious apps to steal phone address books and intercept calls so that even when calling legitimate institutions, the call is connected to the criminals. Actual damage cases include many professors, researchers, doctors, and insurance company employees, and the age range varies widely from people in their 20s and 30s to those over 70, so no one can be careless, the police added.

The police also emphasized that crimes involving remote control apps that completely take victims' assets by using open banking, loan eligibility inquiry apps, and virtual asset apps are rampant, requiring special caution. The police urged, "Please remember just these three things: cash or account transfer requests are definitely phone financial fraud, text messages should always be suspected, and install and check antivirus programs."