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Police warn of phishing surge after Coupang data leak, citing new tactics
Coupang delivery trucks are parked in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap
By Park Ung
Police on Sunday warned of a rise in voice phishing and text message scams exploiting a recent large-scale data leak at e-commerce giant Coupang, urging the public to stay vigilant as new tactics emerge.
The leak, beginning in June and revealed last month, exposed the personal information of 33.7 million Coupang customers, intensifying concern that criminals are combining the stolen data with scam techniques to make it easier to deceive people.
One tactic identified by police involves text messages claiming a delivery delay or warning that an item may be missing from an order, prompting recipients to click a link.
Those who click the link may end up installing a malicious application or entering information on a fake website, allowing criminal groups to use sensitive personal and financial information and ultimately cause monetary losses.
The National Police Agency said that although no secondary damage has been confirmed yet, the public should remain alert as new scam techniques surface.
In one newly identified scheme, a scammer approaches victims by claiming that a credit card has been issued under their name without authorization, possibly due to the Coupang data leak.
The scammer then directs them to call a fake customer service line and install a remote-control app, allowing criminals to access the phone and steal additional personal data.
“Delete messages, links or apps from unknown sources, and treat calls from unknown numbers as potential voice phishing,” police said, adding that reporting suspected cases helps authorities respond quickly to new tactics.
Coupang also noted on Sunday that the company never asks customers to install apps via phone calls or text messages, urging users to delete any suspicious messages and avoid clicking links from unknown sources.