ID :
57731
Mon, 04/27/2009 - 21:41
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/57731
The shortlink copeid
Police bust large `voice phishing` rings
SEOUL, April 27 (Yonhap) -- Police detained on Monday an ethnic Korean from China
who ran a criminal ring that allegedly defrauded local residents of some 500
million won (US$372,000) through phone scams.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said they arrested the suspect, identified
by his surname Lim, 36, and four others for swindling the money from 45 people
since February through telephone-based financial scams, known as voice phishing.
Authorities also booked 28 others without physical detention.
The group is also alleged to have illegally transferred 200 million won to China
as part of an illegal foreign exchange trading scheme involving a third party
there.
Victims of voice phishing having been increasing at an alarming rate, as con
artists posing as officials with the police, prosecution and financial
institutions trick individuals into wiring money. The victims are usually told
their personal banking information has been leaked and need to transfer the money
out of their accounts for protection. Police say the crime ring withdrew the
wired money using mostly ATMs at convenience stores, whose surveillance cameras
have less clear images.
In February, a 27-year-old woman lost 12 million won after receiving a fraudulent
call from the group, police said. There were 44 other such incidents, they said.
Investigators in Gangneung, some 240km east of Seoul, earlier announced the
arrest of another voice phishing ring run by a group of Chinese. Police there
said they arrested six and booked nine people, all Chinese, on charges of
swindling 360 million won from 15 South Koreans. The leader of the group and
three others have been put on the wanted list, police said.
The victims were conned into wiring tens of thousands of won each into some 500
accounts managed by the ring, according to investigators.
They said that many of those arrested or booked, mostly students studying in
South Korea, were forced to work for the ring after its leaders stole their IDs
and threatened to kill their families in China if they contacted the police.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
who ran a criminal ring that allegedly defrauded local residents of some 500
million won (US$372,000) through phone scams.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said they arrested the suspect, identified
by his surname Lim, 36, and four others for swindling the money from 45 people
since February through telephone-based financial scams, known as voice phishing.
Authorities also booked 28 others without physical detention.
The group is also alleged to have illegally transferred 200 million won to China
as part of an illegal foreign exchange trading scheme involving a third party
there.
Victims of voice phishing having been increasing at an alarming rate, as con
artists posing as officials with the police, prosecution and financial
institutions trick individuals into wiring money. The victims are usually told
their personal banking information has been leaked and need to transfer the money
out of their accounts for protection. Police say the crime ring withdrew the
wired money using mostly ATMs at convenience stores, whose surveillance cameras
have less clear images.
In February, a 27-year-old woman lost 12 million won after receiving a fraudulent
call from the group, police said. There were 44 other such incidents, they said.
Investigators in Gangneung, some 240km east of Seoul, earlier announced the
arrest of another voice phishing ring run by a group of Chinese. Police there
said they arrested six and booked nine people, all Chinese, on charges of
swindling 360 million won from 15 South Koreans. The leader of the group and
three others have been put on the wanted list, police said.
The victims were conned into wiring tens of thousands of won each into some 500
accounts managed by the ring, according to investigators.
They said that many of those arrested or booked, mostly students studying in
South Korea, were forced to work for the ring after its leaders stole their IDs
and threatened to kill their families in China if they contacted the police.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
