Detained and Tortured After 'High Profit' Lure... Gang That Trafficked Proxy Bank Accounts Referred to Prosecutors

Enticed Victims to Travel Abroad by Offering Airline Tickets and Room and Board
Confined in Accommodations for Over Two Weeks, Secured Bank Accounts Through Threats
Six Arrested, Fourteen Referred to Prosecutors... Additional Accomplices Sought

A group that lured job seekers to Cambodia with the promise of high profits, then detained and assaulted them before confiscating their proxy bank accounts and handing them over to a voice phishing organization, has been referred to the prosecution.

On June 23, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Metropolitan Investigation Unit announced that it had referred the ringleader of a proxy bank account trafficking organization, Mr. A (age 30), along with five others, to prosecutors in custody on charges including organizing a criminal group and special assault. Two additional suspects were referred without detention. Three members who recruited applicants in Korea were referred without detention on charges of enticing individuals overseas, while nine account holders—both victims and accomplices—were referred without detention on charges of violating the Telecommunications Business Act.

Internet advertisement posted by Mr. A and others to recruit names for proxy bank accounts (left) and promotional bundle of cash photo (right). They lured victims overseas by promising high profits and airfare support. Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency

According to police, from July to October of last year, Mr. A and others recruited job seekers through online communities and Telegram, took them to Cambodia, detained and assaulted them, and seized their proxy bank accounts to provide to phishing organizations.

Mr. A and his accomplices posted advertisements online using slang referring to personal bank accounts or virtual asset exchange accounts. They enticed those who responded to the ads to travel to Cambodia by emphasizing that they would provide airline tickets and cover room and board. Victims were found to have been confined in accommodations in the Sihanoukville area for as little as two weeks to as long as six weeks immediately after arriving in Cambodia. During this period, when it was discovered that one victim had secretly filmed their accommodation and travel routes with a mobile phone, Mr. A and others assaulted and tortured this victim in front of the other victims. They also filmed the assault and shared the footage within the organization.

The police investigation revealed that Mr. A organized the group by securing accommodations and vehicles in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, and assigning roles such as team leader, middle manager, domestic recruiter, field recruiter, and surveillance manager. Mr. A received between 10 million won and 20 million won per proxy account from the phishing organization and provided team members with monthly activity allowances of 2 million to 4 million won. An additional incentive of 1 million to 2 million won was given for each extra account holder recruited.

To increase the usability of the proxy bank accounts, Mr. A and his accomplices instructed account holders to raise their transfer limits to as high as 100 million won per transaction. To prepare for possible blocks by financial institutions' Fraud Detection Systems (FDS), they also developed response scenarios instructing the account holders to directly call bank representatives and request the lifting of such restrictions.

The police have obtained arrest warrants for the remaining two members of the group still residing in Cambodia and are proceeding with Interpol red notices and passport invalidation measures.

A police official stated, "Selling your account or lending it in exchange for compensation is itself subject to criminal penalties. In particular, being lured overseas on the promise of large cash payments carries a high risk of serious crime, so extra caution is needed."

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