Korea Social Security Information Service launches employee verification tool to combat impersonation fraud

The Korea Social Security Information Service headquarters in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul [Korea Social Security Information Service]
The Korea Social Security Information Service headquarters in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul [Korea Social Security Information Service]

The Korea Social Security Information Service said Sunday it has launched a service on its website allowing the public to verify whether a person claiming to represent the agency is actually on staff.

The move comes as fraud cases have been rising in which criminals pose as employees of public institutions, promise to arrange sole-source contracts and then demand upfront payments for goods — a scheme that has put self-employed workers and small-business owners at particular risk.

To help prevent such losses, the agency built the "employee information verification service," which lets anyone check whether a given individual is a current staff member.

Users can enter the name, extension number or email address shown on a business card into the staff lookup menu on the agency's website to confirm whether the person is employed there.

For a more thorough check, users can also request the person's employee ID number and enter it for a second layer of verification.

However, even when search results match, the agency cautioned that business cards or employee details could still have been stolen. It said a final confirmation by phone — through the agency's main line or the relevant department — remains necessary.

The agency stressed that it never requests purchases of goods, upfront payments or transfers to personal bank accounts by phone, text or messenger under any circumstances. Anyone who receives such a request should verify it through the agency's main telephone line.

"If you have even the slightest doubt, please check the facts through our website or main phone line to protect yourself from harm," agency President Kim Hyun-jun said.


thlee@heraldcorp.com