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| A Chinese-Malaysian teenager has been caught allegedly pocketing money via a phone scam. Getty Images Bank |
A Chinese-Malaysian teenager was caught allegedly pocketing money via phone fraud on behalf of a scam ring last Wednesday, according to Daegu Dongbu Police Station, Tuesday.
The teenager, 18, swindled over 16 million won ($14,000) from three victims from Dec. 20, 2018, to Jan. 4, 2019, and sent the cash to the ring, according to police. But a police official told The Korea Times that the money was hard to trace because it was repeatedly moved from one overseas location to another, a typical voice-phishing method.
"We are still trying to identify the ring's base," he said.
The teenager reportedly called the victims and posed as a prosecution investigation officer, telling them their savings were in danger. He then asked them to transfer the money to a bank account that he said belonged to an employee of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) for protection.
Police said the teenager was promised a 3 percent cut of the money.
"A probe is under way to find out if he has been involved in additional crimes," another police official said. "The scamming methods are continually evolving. People should pay closer attention to phone calls that require the transfer or withdrawal of cash."
