2022.11.24
How to Avoid Financial Fraud in Korea (III)
- What are the types of “Messenger Phishing”?
- Messenger Phishing or Smishing, which is a combination of SMS and Phishing, can be done by hacking other people’s online messenger accounts, such as KakaoTalk, and sending messages to the victims’ families or friends to request them to urgently send money for medical expenses, traffic accident settlement, etc. Scammers induce people to send money to the account of another person.
- False emergency notification text messages are sent to the victims, pretending to be a financial institution or government agencies/authorities, such as the police, the prosecutor’s office, or an employee of the Korea Immigration Service.
- There are cases in which scammers impersonate an employee of the Korea Immigration Service, sending messages which state that the receiver has been prohibited from leaving the country.
- Note that the Korea Immigration Service never uses international phone numbers when contacting people nor does it notify the travel ban status via messages—the ban is notified by postal mail.
- Once the victims share their personal information, especially financial information, the scammers use that information to take loans in the names of the victims and transfer the money to stolen accounts they are utilizing.
- There are cases in which scammers impersonate an employee of the Korea Immigration Service, sending messages which state that the receiver has been prohibited from leaving the country.
- Messenger Phishing or Smishing, which is a combination of SMS and Phishing, can be done by hacking other people’s online messenger accounts, such as KakaoTalk, and sending messages to the victims’ families or friends to request them to urgently send money for medical expenses, traffic accident settlement, etc. Scammers induce people to send money to the account of another person.
- How can we avoid falling victim to Message Phishing?
- If you receive a text message that asks you to send money impersonating a friend or family member, saying they cannot be contacted due to a lost or broken cell phone, you should first call the person to check if the sender is actually someone whom he or she claims to be.
- Never send a copy of your ID card or share your personal information via text message or on a suspicious website received via message.
- If you receive a text message about a payment (of a credit card) or a transaction you did not make, call your bank directly not the number in the message.
- If you receive a text message that asks you to send money impersonating a friend or family member, saying they cannot be contacted due to a lost or broken cell phone, you should first call the person to check if the sender is actually someone whom he or she claims to be.
