"Lost Even Child's Tuition"... Prosecutors Recover Voice Phishing Victim's Funds

Five Indicted, Including Voice Phishing Money Launderer
Supplementary Investigation Leads to Re-Seizure of Stolen Funds

The prosecution has recovered tens of millions of won that a victim lost to voice phishing, including their severance pay and their child's tuition fees. This was accomplished by promptly re-seizing the funds after confirming that the money was being held in connection with a different case.

The Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Park Inwoo) announced on the 21st that a man in his 40s, who acted as a money launderer, has been indicted and detained on charges including violation of the Act on the Prevention of Damage from Telecommunications-Based Financial Fraud. In addition, four other members of the organization in their 20s, who acted as cash collectors, have been indicted without detention.

Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office building. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the prosecution, the victim in this case was deceived by a voice phishing scam disguised as a loan offer and ended up losing both their severance pay and their child's tuition fees. During a supplementary investigation, the prosecution discovered that the stolen funds had already been confiscated and held as part of a separate voice phishing trial involving the money launderer. The prosecution then added this money launderer as an accomplice in the current case and promptly re-seized the funds, ultimately returning the entire amount of approximately 30 million won to the victim.

The prosecution explained that the re-seizure measures were taken without waiting for the usual confiscation procedures in order to ensure a swift recovery of losses for the victim. A prosecution official stated, "We will fulfill the legal responsibilities granted to us to protect victims."

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