"Livelihood Recovery Coupon Texts with Links? Never Click Them"

Beware of Unknown URLs:
Personal and Financial Information at Risk
Verify Suspicious Messages via the "Bohonana" KakaoTalk Channel

As the second round of Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupons is set to be distributed, there has been a surge in spam and phishing scams exploiting this initiative. There is a heightened need for caution, as clicking on URLs in such messages can lead to illegal websites or result in the theft of personal and financial information.

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On September 4, the Korea Communications Commission issued a warning about malicious spam disguised as notifications for the Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupons. There have been confirmed cases where messages such as "Notification of Livelihood Recovery Coupon Arrival - Click here to receive" are sent with suspicious URLs to lure victims.

The commission warned, "Clicking on unfamiliar URLs may redirect you to fake government websites, which can result in unauthorized transfers or remote control of your mobile device, causing serious damage." For prevention, it is safest to copy and paste the suspicious message into the "Bohonara" channel on KakaoTalk to verify its authenticity.

If you receive illegal spam, you can report it to the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) using a simple reporting application or your phone’s built-in reporting features. The commission and KISA will immediately block reported spam and share information with the police and the Financial Services Commission to prevent the spread of financial scam messages, such as phishing and smishing.

The commission emphasized, "As spam impersonating the Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupons is increasing, never click on unfamiliar URLs and always verify through the 'Bohonara' channel," adding, "Maintaining good security habits is the most reliable preventive measure."

Meanwhile, the second round of Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupons will be distributed from September 22 to October 31, providing 100,000 won per person to 90% of the population.