KTO Warns of Ongoing Contract Scams by Employee Impersonators, Urges Vigilance

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) on January 8 urged the related industry to exercise particular caution, warning that there have been a series of scams in which fraudsters impersonate KTO employees and steal payments under the pretense of contracts.

The KTO stated, "Scammers are approaching numerous companies, inducing them to make advance payments for goods, and then disappearing in what is known as a 'No-Show scam.' Recently, in areas such as Daejeon, there have been cases where individuals impersonated KTO employees, requested the supply of event goods, and presented forged cooperation request documents and business cards to fraudulently obtain payments." The KTO further emphasized, "These criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, gaining trust by skillfully forging official documents, so heightened vigilance is necessary to prevent damage."

The KTO stressed, "All purchases of goods and service contracts by the Korea Tourism Organization are conducted through the national procurement platform 'Nara Marketplace' and the KTO's electronic contract system. Under no circumstances do we arrange private deals with specific companies or request advance payments to personal accounts via phone, text message, or email."

A KTO official stated, "There has been a surge in scams exploiting the credibility of public institutions, so both the related industry and the public must be especially vigilant. If you receive any suspicious communication, you must contact the KTO to verify its authenticity."

The KTO also announced that, in response to the ongoing impersonation scam attempts, it has shared relevant information and provided voice phishing prevention guidance to 1,906 companies with prior contract experience.