Uijeongbu City Urges Caution After
"Large Order" Scam Targets Local Small Businesses
Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Donggeun) has issued a warning for heightened vigilance after a recent scam incident in which a person impersonated a city hall official and attempted to place large orders at eight local flower shops.
On July 30, the impersonator posed as a staff member of the city’s Welfare Department for the Disabled, urgently ordering dozens of flowerpots for government supply by phone. The scammer then presented a forged contract request letter and a fake business card to demand delivery of the goods.
Fortunately, the flower shops directly contacted city hall to verify the request, so no actual delivery took place. However, if verification had not occurred, the shops could have delivered flowerpots worth as little as 500,000 won or as much as 2 million won without receiving payment. The total number of targeted shops was eight, and the estimated potential loss amounted to approximately 14.5 million won.
Uijeongbu City considers this incident a serious crime that not only causes financial damage but also undermines public trust in government institutions and threatens the livelihoods of local merchants. The city immediately requested an investigation by the Uijeongbu Police Station. It has been confirmed that no internal staff members were involved in the incident.
Mayor Kim Donggeun stated, "City hall never urgently places orders for goods or demands delivery in advance by phone. In the event of similar cases, please always verify the facts directly with city hall, and report any suspicious situations to the police immediately."
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