
South Korean authorities are raising alarms over a surge in voice phishing scams involving fraudulent credit card deliveries. (Image courtesy of Pixabay)
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean authorities are raising alarms over a surge in voice phishing scams involving fraudulent credit card deliveries.
According to the National Police Agency’s Telecommunication and Financial Fraud Response Center, reports of “card delivery scams” skyrocketed to 6,619 cases in November 2024, a 75-fold increase from just 88 cases in the same month the previous year.
The scams often begin with the delivery of a physical credit card that the recipient never requested, either to their mailbox or in person. When victims question the unexpected card, delivery personnel warn them of potential identity theft and direct them to contact a fake customer service line for further assistance.
Once connected, the impersonators posing as customer service agents instruct victims to install remote access applications on their smartphones under the pretext of verifying identity theft. This enables scammers to manipulate the victims’ phones, install malicious applications, and steal sensitive data, including call logs and other critical information.
The scheme escalates as fraudsters, impersonating officials from the Financial Supervisory Service or public prosecutors, claim that the victim’s leaked personal information has been used to open fraudulent bank accounts. Victims are then coerced into participating in fake “financial investigations,” often involving cash withdrawals.
To maintain control and prevent victims from seeking help, scammers employ psychological manipulation. They show falsified documents and threaten victims with dire consequences, such as imprisonment of family members, if they disclose the situation to banks, police, or anyone else.
Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant. “Any notification about a credit card you did not request is fraudulent,” the National Police Agency emphasized. Legitimate card issuers always notify users of deliveries through official channels and allow real-time tracking of shipment status.
The police advise anyone receiving such fraudulent notifications to remain calm and immediately report the incident by dialing 112, potentially preventing further victimization.
As scams become increasingly elaborate, authorities stress the importance of public awareness and early reporting to thwart these criminal networks.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)