A man in his 30s, who worked as a collector for a phone-based financial scam operation, and who sold gold bars valued at hundreds of millions of won, has been taken into custody by authorities.
The Incheon Bupyeong Police Station reported on the 3rd that it has detained and is currently investigating a man in his 30s, known as Mr. A, for alleged violations of the Special Act on the Prevention of Telecommunications Financial Fraud.
Mr. A is under suspicion of serving as a collector for a voice scam organization in the metropolitan region, including Gyeonggi Province, between November 24 and 28, handling and converting some gold bars valued at 620 million won belonging to Mr. B.
It is known that Mr. A, a mid-level collector, sold around 220 million won in gold bars obtained from a primary collector, and this sum is believed to have been transferred to other members of the group.
A voice phishing group posed as prosecutors or employees from the Financial Supervisory Service through phone calls, stating, “Your account is linked to a crime, so you need to register your assets with the state to avoid losses,” and “If you own gold bars, registering them can be quicker than cash.” It is said that Mr. B was tricked by the group’s assertion that he was under protective monitoring, leading him to stay isolated in a hotel for ten days.
The police initiated an investigation following a report from the victim, traced the movement patterns, and swiftly arrested Mr. A on Jeju Island on the 2nd.
A police source mentioned, “We intend to examine the particular techniques used in the liquidation and the voice phishing group,” and added, “We will request a bench warrant for Mr. A.”
