Easily Identify Fake Coupang Texts
First in Distribution Industry to Introduce Safety Mark
On the 12th, Coupang announced that it will introduce a ‘Safe Mark’ to help prevent smishing by collaborating with government agencies and others to protect customers. The Safe Mark allows customers to easily verify whether a message was actually sent by Coupang, which is expected to help prevent smishing crime damage.
Smishing is a compound word of SMS and phishing, referring to mobile phone hacking using text messages. It mainly involves impersonating public institutions to induce the installation of malicious apps through clicking internet addresses and stealing personal information to cause harm.
As smishing gangs’ criminal methods have become more sophisticated, cases of sending impersonation messages using Coupang’s official customer service number (1577-7011) have increased. Citizens, including Coupang customers, have received various smishing messages impersonating Coupang, Coupang customer service, or delivery staff. Examples include messages titled ‘Hello, this is Coupang Sales Department,’ ‘Coupang Marketplace Seller,’ or ‘Coupang Marketplace,’ which lead to unverified sites, encourage participation in reviews or marketing events, and request payments. Methods also included stock recommendations, disaster donations, and notices for exclusive part-time jobs for premium customers.
From now on, text messages sent from Coupang’s official customer service (1577-7011) will display the ‘Safe Mark’ along with the Coupang logo image in the message content. The Safe Mark consists of a shield symbol with a check mark and the phrase ‘Verified Sender Number.’ This Safe Mark is displayed at the top of the text message, allowing recipients to immediately distinguish whether the sender is Coupang or not. The Safe Mark can only be displayed by institutions designated by the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), making it difficult to forge or tamper with.
Currently, it can be verified on Android devices, and it will be introduced on iOS devices in the future. Coupang’s introduction of the Safe Mark display service is the first in the distribution industry. It is a case of expanding the Safe Mark, which has been applied in public and financial institutions, to a private distribution company.
Brett Mattis, Coupang’s Chief Information Security Officer, said, “We are pleased to introduce the Safe Mark to provide an enhanced communication experience to Coupang customers,” and added, “We will continue to lead a safe communication environment and make ongoing efforts to protect customers’ safety and personal information.”
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