Prevention amount jumps 15-fold in 11 months after response system overhaul
On-site questioning and public-private cooperation deliver results in "prevention-focused policing"
As the focus of the response to voice phishing crimes shifted from "arrest" to "prevention," the results changed.
In Daegu alone, 12.4 billion won in citizens' assets were protected. Instead of chasing suspects after damage had already occurred, a preemptive blocking strategy that cuts off the crime at the scene proved effective.
The Daegu Police Agency (Commissioner Kim Byungwoo) announced that, after it began overhauling its response system to voice phishing last year, its prevention performance has increased significantly.
According to the police, over the one-year period from March 2024 to February 2025, the amount of losses prevented was limited to 24 cases totaling 790 million won. However, after switching its response strategy to an "on-site blocking" model, the agency preemptively blocked 183 cases totaling 12.4 billion won over the 11 months from March 2025 to January 2026. The number of prevented cases increased by 7.6 times, and the amount prevented grew more than 15-fold.
The core of this approach is the "on-site judgment checklist." Analyzing how victims, once under the psychological control of the perpetrators, tend to conceal the truth, the police standardized suspicious indicators and questioning techniques. Responding officers guide victims to realize for themselves that they are being scammed through a series of step-by-step questions.
On top of this, the police built a dense prevention network through intensive training by dedicated phishing response teams, immediate rewards for outstanding cases, and public-private cooperation with financial institutions, lodging businesses, and gold and jewelry shops.
This has translated into tangible results in the field. In Dalseo District, officers blocked the delivery of gold worth about 50 million won just before it was handed over, and in Suseong District, they prevented the withdrawal of 70 million won. In both cases, reports of "suspected voice phishing" and the careful observation of responding officers were decisive.
Commissioner Kim Byungwoo stressed, "Voice phishing is a crime where post-incident recovery is almost impossible," adding, "Preemptive responses that block even one more case on the spot are the most reliable way to protect citizens' assets."
The fight against voice phishing should be evaluated not by the number of arrests, but by the "money saved." The shift in Daegu's police response shows that public safety can be judged by outcomes. From police who catch criminals to police who prevent victimization: the answer was found in the field.
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