Presented Forged Business Card and Photo
Reports Filed in Jeonju, Suwon, and Hwaseong
On June 4, the Gyeongju City government urged local businesses to exercise extra caution after an attempted scam involving an individual impersonating a city hall official.
According to Gyeongju City, on June 2, a man introduced himself as a “Gyeongju City Hall administrative officer,” presented a forged business card and someone else’s photograph, and requested price quotes for fitness equipment and office furniture?including treadmills, desks, and chairs?from local companies.
This man contacted companies using a personal mobile phone, not an official Gyeongju City Hall landline. Some businesses found this suspicious and checked with the relevant city hall departments to verify the facts.
Gyeongju City stated that it had never purchased such items and explained that prompt verification prevented any losses.
The city believes that the man contacted actual city departments to obtain the real names of employees and then used this information as part of his impersonation scheme. Gyeongju City is working to raise awareness to prevent similar incidents.
This type of scam?impersonating public officials to fraudulently obtain goods?is spreading nationwide in recent months.
In Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, a case was reported in which an individual impersonating a public official approached companies to request the supply of medical devices such as defibrillators. Upon investigation, it was found that no such official existed under the name provided.
Similar cases have been reported in Suwon, Hwaseong, and Gunpo in Gyeonggi Province, where individuals impersonating city officials presented forged documents and requested quotes for computers, agricultural equipment, and automotive supplies.
In some cases, the scammers used the actual names of departments and employees. In all cases, prompt verification by the companies prevented any losses.
In some areas, including Sacheon and Geoje in South Gyeongsang Province, there have also been attempts to impersonate firefighters and request seafood supplies as part of a scam.
Gyeongju City emphasized that as these schemes become more sophisticated, it is essential for local businesses to thoroughly verify and respond to such requests.
Son Kibok, Gyeongju City’s public relations officer, stated, “Gyeongju City never purchases high-value goods solely through phone calls or text messages without official documents or contract procedures. If you receive a similar request, always verify its authenticity through the city’s main phone number or other official channels.”
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