Hapcheon County Urges Caution Against Phone Scams Impersonating Officials

Surge in Voice Phishing Calls
Urging Advance Payment for Subcontracted Construction and Procurement Contracts

Hapcheon County in South Gyeongsang Province announced on October 29 that residents need to exercise particular caution to prevent voice phishing scams, as there has been a recent surge in fraudulent phone calls impersonating staff from the Finance Division of the Hapcheon County Office.

Voice phishing criminals typically approach contractors or public procurement companies via mobile phone calls, sending forged government employee business cards through text messages. They also investigate contract information disclosed on the Hapcheon County website in advance to gain the trust of companies before extorting money or valuables.

Hapcheon County Office building.

Recently, scammers have cited incidents such as fires at the National Information Resources Service, claiming that fire prevention supplies like extinguishers must be urgently purchased as government-procured goods. They present prepayment of a portion of the purchase amount as a condition for contract conclusion.

In the case of subcontracted construction projects, there have been cases where scammers use contract-related information disclosed on the Hapcheon County Office website to mention previous construction histories or relevant government officials involved in contracts with the company. They first build trust and then demand that the contract deposit be paid in advance.

This is a typical method of voice phishing scams. Hapcheon County officials never request money over the phone under any circumstances. Therefore, if you receive a suspicious call or text, you are urged to report it immediately to the police or other investigative authorities.

Governor Kim Yooncheol stated, "There has been a sharp increase in new types of voice phishing attempts that exploit the current economic downturn. To prevent fraud, we are sharing information with related organizations such as the Hapcheon County Specialized Construction Association, and we strongly advise local companies to remain vigilant to prevent the spread of similar damages."