"Low-Interest Refinancing Loans Available"... Cash Withdrawal Agent Who Impersonated Financial Institutions to Extort Tens of Millions Sentenced to Prison

Sentenced to 8 Months Imprisonment

A person who impersonated financial institution employees and extorted tens of millions of won was sentenced to prison for withdrawing cash.

On the 30th, Judge Seong Jun-gyu of the Criminal Division 10 at the Seoul Western District Court announced that Mr. A (80), who was tried on charges of fraud, was sentenced to 8 months in prison.

Mr. A was indicted for conspiring with a voice phishing gang that impersonated financial institution employees last September and embezzled tens of millions of won by withdrawing cash.

The gang consisted of 'call agents' who made calls to random people impersonating financial institutions, and 'cash withdrawal agents' who withdrew the victim's deposited funds and delivered them. Mr. A was investigated to have been responsible for the cash withdrawal role.

First, the call agents impersonated financial institution employees and asked victims to "send your resident registration card and resident registration certificate as refinancing loans with low interest rates are available." Then, they immediately deceived victims by saying, "The existing loan product you have is prohibited from refinancing, so you must repay the existing loan immediately," and embezzled about 20 million won. Mr. A is accused of withdrawing the 20 million won transferred to him twice in Yeongdeungpo-gu and Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul.

The court stated, "The defendant committed this crime again during the probation period of a prison sentence for violating the Electronic Financial Transactions Act, so the responsibility is heavy," but also said, "The defendant is an 80-year-old elderly person who admits the crime and shows remorse. He only took part in simple execution acts such as cash withdrawal under the instructions of the voice phishing organization members, so there are mitigating factors regarding the circumstances and degree of involvement. Also, the profit obtained through the crime is only a part of the embezzled amount."