FSS Issues Consumer Alert at 'Caution' Level Over 'Voice Phishing Scam' Impersonating Community Service Center Staff

"Promptly alert the entire financial sector to the impersonation scheme"

The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said it issued a consumer alert at the "Caution" level on November 12 after a new voice phishing scam emerged in which fraudsters impersonate community service center employees to approach consumers.

Stone sign at the Financial Supervisory Service's Seoul headquarters in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. FSS.

According to the FSS, the fraudsters show victims who are worried about identity theft fake phone numbers and trick them into calling the Korea Credit Information Services or the FSS themselves.

They approach consumers by saying, "Someone came to get documents using your ID card and a power of attorney," then impersonate FSS employees and prosecutors in turn to steal their money.

The FSS said, "From the moment you call the number you were given, everyone on the line is a fraudster," adding, "The FSS, the Public Prosecution Office, the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the police will never ask you to send money for any reason."

The FSS urged consumers to verify information by calling an official number they find themselves or visiting a nearby community service center in person; check for identity theft themselves through services such as AccountInfo; and not heed instructions to "tell no one," but promptly inform family members, the police and others.

The FSS said, "We will promptly share details of this scam with the entire financial sector to prevent community service center impersonation voice phishing from spreading." It added, "We will guide financial companies to carefully monitor for suspicious activity at branch counters and through their fraud detection systems (FDS), such as the early termination of high-value deposits and split transfers to multiple accounts."

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