Personal Information of Lawyers Stolen
Retainer Induced Through Chatbot Consultations
Fake Office Address and SNS Promotion
No Financial Damage Confirmed So Far
The police have launched an investigation after it was revealed that an unregistered and illegal legal office had been providing legal consultations online.
On April 23, the Cyber Crime Investigation Unit of the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency announced that it had received a complaint against the "Kim Deok International Legal Office" on suspicion of violating the Attorney-at-Law Act and had begun tracking down the operator. This office is believed to have provided legal services by misusing the photos and personal information of over 20 lawyers affiliated with the Gwangju Bar Association.
The law firm is known to have promoted itself through social networking services (SNS) and induced trust by listing a fake office address on Geumnam-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju. It was confirmed that consultations were conducted via chatbot instead of a real person.
The Gwangju Bar Association received a complaint that a "suspicious legal office was in operation" and filed a formal accusation with the police. Additionally, to prevent damages, the association posted a notice urging caution when entering into a retainer agreement with the office in question.
So far, there have been no confirmed cases of actual retainer agreements or financial damages. The police are currently blocking access to the website, tracking down the operator, and investigating whether there have been any further offenses.
Similar cases involving fake legal offices are also under investigation in other regions.
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