Korean Bar Association and BAMISIMWI Block Access to 31 'Lawyer Impersonation Phishing Websites'

Implementation of a Continuous Monitoring System

The Korean Bar Association and the Broadcasting Media Communication Review Committee (BAMISIMWI) announced on August 7 that they have successfully implemented access blocks on 31 fake law office websites in an effort to eradicate phishing crimes involving impersonation of lawyers.

Seoul Seocho-gu, Korean Bar Association. Yonhap News Agency

According to the Bar Association, there have recently been numerous reports of phishing crimes in which the names, photos, and career details of actual affiliated lawyers were stolen and used to create fraudulent law office websites. These sites impersonated actual lawyers based on forged information, displayed apparent legal work credentials, and used tactics such as luring clients into remote legal consultations through social media.

In response, the Bar Association carried out ongoing monitoring activities to uphold order in the legal market and protect the rights and interests of the public. The association compiled a list of counterfeit law office websites suspected of impersonation crimes and requested BAMISIMWI to conduct effective investigations and enforce blocking measures.

On August 4, BAMISIMWI officially notified the association of the results regarding the cases submitted for review. According to the notice, of the sites requested for review, decisions could not be made for three cases due to insufficient evidence. However, for the remaining 31 sites, violations of relevant laws and review regulations were acknowledged, and 'correction orders and access block' measures were ultimately enforced.

The Bar Association stated that it will not stop at these access blocks, but will continue to operate a systematic monitoring framework to prevent further damage from lawyer impersonation crimes. For any detected illegal sites or impersonation attempts, the Association plans to cooperate closely with relevant authorities to devise countermeasures and take decisive legal action.

A representative of the Bar Association said, "We urge the public to cross-check, through the official Bar Association website or other official channels, whether a lawyer is properly registered before delegating cases or seeking legal advice online, in order to prevent falling victim to such crimes."

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