After Creating This... Significant Decrease in 'Voice Phishing' Crimes in Gwangju Area

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] The Gwangju Police Agency announced on the 26th that the scale of damage has significantly decreased as a result of actively responding to voice phishing crimes.

Since the beginning of this year, the Gwangju Police Agency has been promoting various online and offline campaigns to prevent voice phishing crimes.

They carried out several activities including promoting the malware detection app 'Citizen Conan,' producing customized promotional materials using flyers, fans, wet wipes, and salon gowns, and conducting on-site campaigns at multi-use facilities such as terminals and markets.

Recently, the Public Relations Office prepared a special policy called the 'Sabangpalbang Project.'

This project involves posting four types of posters and eight types of videos containing key messages based on the types and methods of voice phishing on the streets or broadcasting them as TV commercials.

Thanks to the police's proactive response, the number of voice phishing incidents was limited to 242 cases from January to August this year. This represents a remarkable 48% decrease compared to the same period last year (466 cases).

The amount of damage decreased by 42%, from 12.3 billion KRW to 7.1 billion KRW.

Over the past five years, related crimes and damages have generally been on the rise.

By year: ▲2017 - 210 cases, 3.3 billion KRW ▲2018 - 205 cases, 3.7 billion KRW ▲2019 - 358 cases, 10.1 billion KRW ▲2020 - 715 cases, 15.8 billion KRW ▲2021 - 624 cases, 16.0 billion KRW.

A Gwangju Police Agency official urged, "Since it is difficult to recover the damages once voice phishing occurs, prevention is most important, so we ask for heightened awareness regarding this issue."