New Voice Phishing Scam Reported in Ulsan
Scammers Deceive Victims via Video Calls While Wearing Police Uniforms
A new type of voice phishing scam, in which perpetrators attempt to deceive victims through video calls while wearing police uniforms, has been reported, prompting calls for heightened vigilance.
A woman in her 70s, who was deceived by a voice phishing gang impersonating police officers in uniform and tried to withdraw 100 million won from a bank, is talking with a police officer. Ulsan Police Agency
According to the Ulsan Bukbu Police Station on October 22, a woman in her 70s, identified as Ms. A and residing in Jung-gu, Ulsan, received a call on October 15 from a member of a voice phishing ring impersonating a bank employee. The caller said, "Money is about to be withdrawn from your account. May I proceed with the transaction?"
Startled, Ms. A replied, "I never authorized any withdrawal. Do not proceed." The impersonator then responded, "It's fortunate that the money hasn't been withdrawn," and added, "To prevent similar incidents and catch the criminal, I will connect you to a police officer," before ending the call.
Soon after, Ms. A received a video call. When she answered, three individuals dressed in police uniforms were seated at a desk, with a Taegukgi (the national flag of Korea) hanging behind them, making the setting appear like an actual police station office. They told her, "Although the loss was prevented, there may be a malicious app installed on your mobile phone. Please install an app to remove it."
Reassured by the appearance of the "police officers" on the video call, Ms. A complied and installed the app as instructed. However, the app was actually a remote control application. After confirming the installation, the fake police officers told her, "You may receive a call from the Financial Supervisory Service or a prosecutor for verification," and then ended the call.
About ten minutes later, Ms. A received another call, this time from someone impersonating an employee of the Financial Supervisory Service. The impersonator pressured her, saying, "To prove your innocence, you must convert your financial assets into gold bars for investigation," and coerced her into terminating her savings account containing 100 million won.
Fortunately, a bank employee became suspicious when Ms. A suddenly tried to withdraw a large sum and reported the situation to the police, preventing any financial loss.
The police believe the voice phishing ring intended for Ms. A to purchase gold bars and then hand them over under the pretense of an investigation. It was also reported that the perpetrators delayed police analysis by arbitrarily setting passwords and other restrictions through the remote control app installed on Ms. A's mobile phone.
In Ulsan, there have been at least three reports, including Ms. A's case, of similar attempted scams in October alone, and related inquiries continue to be received. Sergeant Yong Seungjin of the Ulsan Bukbu Police Station advised, "If you receive a call from someone claiming that money is being withdrawn from your account, never trust it. Always visit your bank in person. Police officers or prosecutors do not verify their identities through video calls."
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