“Confirm your address (httpps://www.coopang.com).” I had expected mail that day, and so I naively clicked on the link without hesitation. Only a few moments later did I realize that I had fallen into a trap. Although my short slip didn’t result in any serious consequences, others often end up worse off. 

Nowadays, online scams come in many forms, from phone calls that snatch private information to regular smishing with manipulative messages designed to cloud rational thinking. 

People of all ages fall victim to online fraud – especially those between the ages of 30 and 50. According to a report by the Korean Statistical Development Institute, almost 60% of middle-aged men mainly face the brunt of the storm. 

Different tactics continue to emerge. In most cases, vishing utilizes many strategies that manipulate your emotions to induce a sense of urgency. Even when some attempts at fraud may seem pretty obvious, the lingering “what ifs” and “maybes” get to most victims.

Some of the most common approaches made by vishing corporations include:

• False notifications that claim an individual’s involvement with a crime (voice phishing, fraud, etc.) requiring confirmation of personal information
• Impersonations of a family member or acquaintance to ask for the individual to download malware that allows the scammer to gain remote access to the person’s phone
• Personal messages from unidentified numbers that claim to know the individual and seek contact through LINE (a popular message application used around Asian countries)

Mrs. Park, a DIS parent, shared her close encounter with a phishing attempt. “At first, I thought the call was a request for participation in a survey – the voice was so professionally trained and sounded so real that I didn’t realize it was fake. They knew my name, phone number, and resident registration number, which made it seem all the more real. Luckily, I was saved by a stranger who was next to me when I was on the phone. I hung up only when they warned me of the possibility of a scam, and despite escaping the situation unscathed, I was initially confused but also frustrated at myself for not catching on quicker,” she said.   

Scammers constantly rework their strategies, sometimes through impersonation of police officers and even family members. With recent advancements in artificial intelligence and technology, voice modification software has evolved into a common scheme. 

However, thanks to recent developments, these con artists don’t always get away with the tricks up their sleeves. A phone call service known as “T calling” announced their new “AIdot” app, which utilizes artificial intelligence to detect and warn people of possible scams. The platform also notifies users of both reported and unreported phone numbers and prevents such calls in the first place. 

Mr. Park, a police officer at Dongdaegu precinct, shared his advice on how people can protect themselves from serious harm. “To prevent becoming a victim of voice phishing, citizens should always stay cautious if a public institution or a family member requests money. In the case of public institutions, it is best to visit the nearest police station to verify the authenticity. For family members or acquaintances, it is recommended to go through direct confirmation rather than relying on text messages before proceeding. If you suspect that you are involved in a voice phishing scheme, switch your phone to airplane mode and immediately report it to the nearest police station to prevent further damage,” he said. 

Since 2015, cops have implemented an automatic system that alerts nearby stations when someone withdraws a large sum of over 10 million won from the bank. The National Police Agency also released an app known as “Citizen Conan,” which accurately detects malicious and remote control apps. 

Though the Korean government has begun to take action to prevent the rise of voice phishing, prevention requires a combined effort of professionals and civilians to tackle the situation properly. If you receive a call from an unknown number, assume that it is a scam call and don’t pick up. After all, curiosity kills the cat.