Voice Phishing Scams

[Anchor Lead]

Voice phishing scams continue to thrive even as people are strongly advised to take extra precaution. Most of the scam rings are located abroad where Korean police jurisdiction does not reach. A group of fraudsters who set up call centers in China and across Asia and engaged in phone scams has been caught. Take a look.

[Pkg]

Police officers raid a residence belonging to a person overseeing a voice phishing scam organization. Large amounts of evidence were seized in the raid including fake bank books and mobile phones.

[Soundbite] "What did you do with the scammed money?"

Those who have been rounded up had set up a call center in Qingdao, China and made random phone calls to Korea.

[Soundbite] (Automated Voice Phishing Phone Call): "Your status qualifies for state aid. You can take out credit loans."

The caller would mention the state-run “National Happiness Fund” that provides loans at low interest rates. This is how the scammers collected 6.8 billion won from some 300 victims, many of whom were breadwinners in their 50s in dire need of money. The voice phishing ring was run like a mob with strict hierarchy of roles such as team captains and the overseer. Young men who worked at the call center were in the state of detention. A frightening rule was also enforced including threats that "if you leave, you will be killed."

[Soundbite] (Ring Member who Attempted Escape (Voice Modified)): "They threatened me to have me killed, saying that it can be easily done. I was beat up when caught trying to flee. The members also guarded the airport."

The police rounded up 86 ring members and arrested 71 of them. The suspects caught in China have been transfered to Korea through extradition procedures. The police believe similar phone scam operations also exist in the Philippines and Thailand and thus are cooperating with local police forces in those respective countries.