"Unknown Money in Your Account? Never Send It Back"...A New Scam Method Emerges

'Account Freezing' Scams Exploit Voice Phishing Countermeasures
Number of Suspended Accounts Rises Each Year
Official Refund Process Through Bank Is Essential

As so-called "account freezing" scams that exploit voice phishing countermeasure systems are rapidly increasing, the scale of damage is growing. In particular, there have been a series of cases where an entire bank account is frozen simply because money was received from an unknown person, highlighting the need for caution.

SNS Capture

According to data submitted by Assemblyman Park Sunghoon of the People Power Party from the Financial Supervisory Service on December 1, the number of accounts suspended from transactions reached 27,652 in 2023 and 32,409 in 2024, showing a sharp increase each year. Originally, this system was designed to protect victims of voice phishing, but it is now being targeted and exploited by scammers.

This so-called "account freezing" method begins when a perpetrator intentionally transfers money to a victim's account and then falsely reports to the bank, claiming, "I was deceived by voice phishing and sent the money by mistake." The bank, in accordance with the Act on the Remedy for Damage Caused by Telecommunications-based Financial Fraud, must immediately suspend transactions. In this process, not only the affected account, but all non-face-to-face transactions under the victim's name are simultaneously halted.

At this point, the perpetrator may demand a settlement payment, saying, "I will cancel the report if you send me money," or, in some cases, freeze the account without any communication as an act of retaliation or revenge, thereby isolating the victim. There are actual cases where people have shared their experiences of falling victim to "account freezing." For example, on a Friday night, Mr. A received a deposit of 1 million won from a stranger. Immediately after, the sender, Mr. B, began sending 1 won at a time over three days, leaving messages such as, "I will report to the police on Monday," "Please contact me at this number," and "If you don't reply, I will report you immediately."

However, contacting the sender could expose your personal information and lead to further threats. You must also not use the money deposited in your account at your own discretion. In such cases, regardless of the amount, you could be charged with embezzlement, so you must follow the official refund procedure through your bank.

Experts advise that the first step in responding to such "account freezing" situations is to initiate an objection process. Under the Act on the Remedy for Damage Caused by Telecommunications-based Financial Fraud, you must file an objection with the bank within two months of the transaction suspension. During this process, you need to provide objective evidence that your account was not used in the scam, proof that you have no connection to the sender, transaction records, message captures, and police report details. In particular, an official incident confirmation document issued by the police can serve as a key piece of evidence in the bank's review process.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.