"Self-Confinement" at Motel with 50 Million Won... Woman in Her 20s Tricked by New Voice Phishing Scam

"Self-Confinement" Voice Phishing on the Rise
Victims Isolated in Motels and Coerced to Prepare Large Sums

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Telephone financial fraud (voice phishing) organizations are increasingly using a so-called "self-confinement" tactic, in which victims are instructed to voluntarily stay at lodging facilities while large sums of money are extorted from them.

According to the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency on August 21, a woman in her 20s, identified as Ms. A, was rescued by police after she spent four days at a motel in the Jeonbuk region earlier this month, following instructions from a voice phishing ring, while preparing 50 million won in cash.

On August 1, Ms. A received a call from someone impersonating a credit card company call center. She questioned the notice that her "credit card would soon be delivered," but the voice phishing group escalated her anxiety by successively connecting her to people pretending to be prosecutors and Financial Supervisory Service officials. They then threatened her, claiming her personal information had been leaked, saying, "Your account is involved in a crime," and "If you do not cooperate with the investigation, you will be arrested and investigated in custody."

The scammers then instructed Ms. A to "stay alone at a lodging facility for asset verification." She complied, staying at the motel for four days, even taking out a loan to prepare 50 million won in cash. Fortunately, the police, having obtained intelligence by tracking a malicious application installed on her mobile phone, arrived at the scene and rescued her just before she handed over the money.

This type of self-confinement voice phishing is a new method in which the victim, deceived by threats and manipulation, voluntarily isolates themselves from the outside world, follows remote control and phone instructions, and is then defrauded of money. Police have warned that similar cases are increasing nationwide and are urging the public to be vigilant.

The Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency is distributing prevention leaflets to lodging facilities throughout the province and actively encouraging people to report suspicious activity. A police official emphasized, "Investigative agencies never conduct investigations at lodging facilities," and added, "If you receive instructions such as 'Stay alone at the accommodation' or 'Take calls in a quiet place for recording purposes,' it is voice phishing and you should report it to the police immediately."