"Yangju City Hall Official" Impersonation Phone Scams on the Rise... Caution Urged for Potential Victims

Yangju City Reports Impersonation of City Hall Officials
Warning Issued After 15 Million Won Fraud Targeting Small Business Owners

In Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, a series of telephone scams involving impersonation of city hall officials has recently occurred, prompting the city to urge both citizens and local small business owners to exercise caution.

View of Yangju City Hall. Provided by Yangju City

According to Yangju City on June 18, several recent cases have been confirmed in which scammers pretended to be city hall officials, approached businesses, and attempted to induce product deliveries in order to fraudulently obtain money.

These incidents have specifically targeted local small business owners, and the seriousness of the situation has increased as actual financial damages have occurred.

On June 16, an interior design company located in Goam-dong received an inquiry from someone claiming to be a city hall official, asking about the possibility of supplying products. The impersonator presented a forged official ID in a photo, conducted three phone calls, and even arranged an in-person meeting. However, the meeting was suddenly canceled at the last minute, which raised the suspicions of the company’s representative. After verifying with a real official, the representative discovered it was a scam and was able to avoid financial loss.

On the same day, a general goods store in Deokjeong-dong received a similar scam call. This time, the scammer used a forged official business card and a fake business registration certificate to gain trust, and requested an order worth about 15 million won under the pretense of supplying "farming disaster prevention suits."

The business owner transferred the payment to the designated account, but after being asked for an additional order, became suspicious and checked, only to learn it was a scam. However, the amount already transferred could not be recovered.

A Yangju City official stated, "Yangju City Hall never asks private companies to purchase products on its behalf," and urged, "If you receive a similar contact, please report it immediately to the police or fire department."

Meanwhile, Yangju City plans to strengthen its public awareness campaigns and guidance for local business owners and citizens to protect them from such fraudulent activities.