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ED Rampant voice phishing

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  • Published Sep 5, 2018 4:20 pm KST
  • Updated Sep 5, 2018 5:04 pm KST

Authorities should step up crackdowns on swindlers

Voice phishing, in short, is the use of fraudulent phone calls to trick people into giving money or revealing personal information. It is hard to believe, but so many people still fall victim to these phone scams, according to the related authorities.

In spite of the government's diverse efforts and programs to fight the flourishing crime in recent years, voice phishing shows no sign of waning. Rather, the victims numbered around 16,000 during the first half of the year with the damage amounting to about 170 billion won ($154 million), more than that for all of 2016.

Voice phishing has been evolving year by year, with the person on the other end of the phone pretending to represent a government agency, bank or company as the signature trick of the crime.

For instance, the criminal pretends to be a police officer or an official of the Financial Supervisory Service, warning the person who picks up the phone that their financial information has been leaked and they should transfer deposits to a safe account belonging to the state. Then, the FSS will return the money after the case is closed, the criminal lies. So many people have fallen for the claim by the “state agency” so easily.

It is common sense that any public institution such as banks, police, prosecution and the FSS never ask for an individual's financial and personal information, or request financial transactions by phone calls. If one receives a phone call from a person pretending to represent a government organization, hanging up is the best thing, according to police.

The criminal's way of talking over the phone is skillful and intelligent. So, people should not talk with the caller for a long time so as not to be deceived. People are required to be well-informed of preventive measures against voice phishing.

On the other hand, law enforcement authorities and related agencies have to work out more effective programs to protect people from con artists in close cooperation with banking and financial institutions.