By Lee Kyung-min
Nine individuals were detained for impersonating prosecutors in order to swindle nine people out of 360 million won ($320,000) in a voice phishing scam, police said, Wednesday.
According to the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency, the nine suspects called nine victims between April and May asking them to withdraw all the cash in their bank accounts and give it to a man who they convinced the victims was an official from the Financial Supervisory Service.
The group led the victims to visit a fake prosecutors’ office website which, after they entered their respective residence registration numbers, targeted them for personal data theft.
When the victims handed the cash to one of the group members in person, the group member used a fake name. The swindlers’ fingerprints were untraceable as they had earlier applied a special substance to their fingertips that covers up their fingerprints.
Most of the victims were women in their early 20s who the criminal group deemed naive, police added, and all victims did exactly as they were told without questioning the scammers.
According to the police agency, investigative organizations never ask anyone for a withdrawal or online transfer of cash under any circumstances. People who receive calls with such demands should immediately contact police, it added.