Impersonation of fire department officials is on the rise, prompting warnings from authorities. [Getty Images Bank]
Impersonation of fire department officials is on the rise, prompting warnings from authorities. [Getty Images Bank]

Financial fraud cases involving scammers posing as fire department officials have been rising sharply, prompting authorities to urge the public to stay vigilant.

The North Gyeongsang Province fire department said Friday that 159 impersonation fraud cases were reported over the past year, with total losses reaching about 640 million won ($430,000).

Of those, 150 cases involved individuals impersonating fire agencies. Losses tied to those cases reached approximately 630 million won, accounting for 98.4 percent of the total.

In a typical scheme, fraudsters pose as fire department civil servants and tell victims that a fire inspection is scheduled or that revised regulations require them to install fire safety equipment. They then claim the fire headquarters will reimburse the cost if victims purchase the equipment from a designated vendor first — before directing them to transfer money to a specific account. Scammers appear to favor urging victims to buy fire extinguishers and similar items.

Seong Ho-seon, head of the North Gyeongsang Province fire department, said impersonating a fire agency is "a serious crime that exploits the public's trust." He added that fire authorities never ask people to purchase goods through a specific vendor or transfer money under any circumstances, and urged anyone who receives a suspicious call to verify the matter directly with their local fire station.


won@heraldcorp.com