"Hired through Gyocharo and Albamon... Even 2030s Involved in Voice Phishing"

Damage Amount Increased by 450 Billion Won in 3 Years
Even Simple Transporters Considered 'Aiding Fraud'
Verification of Employer Names on Job Posting Sites Needed

[Asia Economy Reporters Jang Sehee and Hwang Seoyul] On the 26th of last month, Mr. Kim saw a bookkeeping job posting in a newspaper at an intersection and got employed, only to unexpectedly become involved in a voice phishing crime. Mr. Kim received money from an unknown person under the pretext of construction costs and transferred it to an account. Mr. Cho, in his 30s, found a short-term part-time job through the employment app Albamon on the 29th of last month. While assisting with office tasks, he delivered money but later received a call from the police telling him he was a delivery agent for voice phishing and to come in for questioning.

Cases of people getting involved in voice phishing crimes after finding jobs through year-end and New Year job advertisements continue to occur steadily. Voice phishing is a telephone financial fraud method where personal information such as credit card numbers is obtained via phone calls and then used for criminal purposes.

Damage Amount Increased by 450 Billion KRW in 3 Years...Even Simple Couriers Considered 'Aiding Fraud'

According to the police on the 4th, recently, people in their 20s and 30s have often become subjects of investigations for unknowingly participating in crimes. A police official said, "There are cases where people get employed after seeing job ads and unknowingly become involved in voice phishing and are investigated," adding, "Most did not find the high income suspicious." The amount of damage caused by voice phishing increased every year: 247 billion KRW in 2017, 404 billion KRW in 2018, 639.8 billion KRW in 2019, and 700 billion KRW in 2020. This is an increase of 450 billion KRW over three years.

In the legal community, there is a trend to strengthen punishment considering factors such as awareness, degree of damage, and social and economic harm. Voice phishing crimes are punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment or fines up to 20 million KRW under fraud charges. Simple couriers fall under aiding fraud charges and face up to 5 years imprisonment or fines up to 10 million KRW.

In 2020, a foreign exchange student employed at a fashion brand-related company was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for acting as a cash collector for voice phishing. This student started the role after being enticed by a social networking service (SNS) job ad promising 100,000 to 200,000 KRW per delivery. From June 2020, over one month, he collected 47.8 million KRW from four victims and delivered it to the voice phishing organization. Lawyer Seo Ji-won of the law firm Naran stated, "They consider whether the suspect was aware of the crime and the repetitive nature of the tasks," adding, "There are problematic job postings, but since the actual existence can only be verified by visiting the site, it seems practically difficult to manage all of them."

Experts Urge Vigilance...Verification of Business Owner Names on Job Sites Needed

Experts pointed out the need to maintain vigilance and caution in daily life. Professor Lee Woong-hyuk of Konkuk University’s Department of Police Science said, "Recently, voice phishing tends to be organized like small and medium-sized enterprises," emphasizing, "When employed, if the profit seems unreasonably high by rational standards, one should quickly express the intention to quit." He added, "One should always maintain awareness of voice phishing crimes."

Professor Lee Geon-su of Baekseok University’s Department of Police Science also said, "Job posting sites should have a sense of moral responsibility and verify the business owner’s name before posting ads," adding, "Citizens should also report if they find or are asked to deliver money from unclear sources." He further analyzed, "Because there is a perception that voice phishing criminals are rarely caught, the crimes continue."

Meanwhile, the National Assembly is showing moves to strengthen penalties for voice phishing crimes. In December last year, Assemblyman Jo Kyung-tae of the People Power Party proposed an amendment to the 'Special Act on Prevention of Damage from Telecommunications Financial Fraud and Refund of Damages,' raising the punishment for voice phishing crimes to imprisonment from 3 to 10 years or fines up to 200 million KRW. The bill is currently referred to the Political Affairs Committee and is scheduled to be discussed in the standing committee next month.