Voice phishing is a type of fraud in which criminals call their victims and trick them into giving up private personal and financial information. On March 20th, three local senior citizens lost a combined 120 million won through this type of crime. Kim Minhoe reports.
Report
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The morning of March 20, 68 year-old Miss (이) Yi got a call while working on her farm.

A man told her that her son’s life was in danger because he had guaranteed a loan and the borrower couldn’t pay the debt.
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Recording
Voice phishing victim
The man told me my son promised to give all of his organs if he failed to pay 24 million won. A voice crying “Mom, mom” on the phone sounded just like my son.
<씽크 : 피해자>
"2400만원 안 내놓으면 아들이 장기 다 내놓기로 했대요. 아들이 엄마엄마하고 우는 것이 완전히 아들목소리 같아서 내가 하루종일 당했어요."

Ms. Yi withdrew over 20 million won and handed the money to a man at a pre-appointed meeting spot.

However, the whole operation was part of a voice phishing scheme.

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Criminals get victim to withdraw funds, then steal them from house

Later the same day, another suspicious call was made to a 73 year-old senior, Ms. Kim, in Seogwipo.

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The man on the phone claimed that Ms. Kim’s bank account was being compromised, and told her to withdraw the money and put it in her washing machine for safekeeping.
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Ms. Kim withdrew 50 million won and placed 30 million won in the machine.

Then, while she was out of the house, the money disappeared.

Another elderly woman from the same village lost 70 million won in the same way, the same day.

Voice phishing criminals often pretend to be bank tellers and ask people to withdraw money and then keep it at their house in a designated place. Then, they later break into the house to steal the money.

All of the above victims were seniors, and not familiar with voice phishing schemes.

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3 victims, 120 million won in losses on March 20

On March 20th, three local seniors lost a combined 124 million won from voice phishing scams in just a few hours.

INTERVIEW
Song Woo-cheol / Jeju Provincial Police Agency
Criminals ask people to withdraw money and then place it in a washing machine or refrigerator. Then they lure their victim from their house and steal the money. This is a new type of voice phishing scheme.
<인터뷰 :송우철/제주지방경찰청 수사2계장 >
"돈을 바로 찾아서 세탁기나 냉장고에 보관해라. 그리고 피해자를 밖으로 유인하고 집이 비어있는 것을 확인한 다음에 몰래 들어가 피해금액을 절취하는 침입형 보이스피싱입니다."

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2 Chinese arrested for crimes

Police have arrested two Chinese suspects caught on CCTV.

[Reporter] Kim Minhoe
[Camera] Moon Ho-seong

They are urging people to report any suspicious calls asking to withdraw money or for personal information. People can also contact the Financial Supervisory Service - a call center for voice phishing fraud - by calling 1332.

Kim Minhoe, KCTV