Korean National Police Agency launches intensive fraud crackdown
Police arrested 26,782 people across 61,482 fraud cases targeting ordinary citizens in roughly six months, following a crackdown that began in March. Of those arrested, 809 were detained.
The National Investigation Headquarters of the Korean National Police Agency announced Monday that it had conducted an intensive crackdown on financial crimes and cyber fraud harming the public — including illegal private lending, pyramid schemes and direct-transaction scams — from March 23 through Aug. 31.
According to police, fraud schemes have increasingly evolved to operate from overseas bases, with perpetrators approaching victims remotely.
Among the organizations caught in the sweep was a Cambodia-based group that posed as a volunteer organization. Its 26 members built trust with victims by offering "volunteer support funds," then swindled 456 people out of a combined 40.9 billion won ($29.6 million) under the pretext of establishing branches nationwide.
Smaller-scale fraud cases were also uncovered in large numbers. In one instance, a fraudster posted a fake listing on the secondhand trading platform Karrot advertising probiotics at a steep discount, then stole 1.87 million won from 18 victims.
Alongside the crackdown, police established dedicated "malicious fraud tracking teams" under integrated investigation units at police stations nationwide. The teams, which handle unresolved fraud cases, operate across 261 offices with a staff of 1,006. Since their formation in March, the teams have arrested 2,318 people across 4,204 cases through last month.
Hong Seok-gi, chief of the National Investigation Headquarters, said various forms of fraud targeting the public could surge as consumer and financial activity picks up ahead of the Chuseok holiday. "We plan to continue intensive investigations to apprehend the main perpetrators nationwide and will pursue the remaining suspects until they are all caught," he said.
arin@heraldcorp.com
