"Suspicious Cash Bundle Envelope"…Voice Phishing Prevented by Taxi Driver's Report

Possession of Cash Bundle Envelope, Suspicious Call Reported
30s Cash Collector Caught on Site

A voice phishing cash collector was caught at the scene following a report by a taxi driver who suspected a passenger of voice phishing fraud. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Gun-chan] A taxi driver in his 50s in Changnyeong, Gyeongnam, prevented a voice phishing scam involving approximately 60 million won.

According to Changnyeong Police Station on the 6th, at around 4 p.m. on the 5th, taxi driver A (59) picked up a female passenger B in her 50s in Sacheon, Gyeongnam. B requested to be taken to a bank in Changnyeong-eup, Changnyeong-gun, and A stopped the car in front of the bank.

A noticed that B was carrying two yellow envelopes containing bundles of cash and overheard her using words such as "tens of millions of won," "refinancing loan," and "arrival" while talking to someone, which made him suspect a voice phishing scam.

At 5:11 p.m. that day, immediately after B got off, A reported the incident to the police. The responding officers caught C (30), the cash collector for the voice phishing scam, red-handed as he received an envelope containing 60 million won in cash from B.

C tried to excuse himself to the police by saying, "I am working part-time," but messages exchanged with the higher-ups of the voice phishing operation were found on C's mobile phone, revealing that he was indeed the cash collector for the scam.

B was reportedly deceived by the voice phishing scammer's claim that if she met C in Changnyeong and handed over 60 million won, she would be able to get an 80 million won refinancing loan.

The police are investigating C while also gathering clues and conducting investigations into the higher-ups of the voice phishing operation.