Title: Impersonating Fire Department to Request Proxy Purchases, Immediate Reporting of 'No-Show Fraud' Requested
Recently, there have been a series of 'no-show fraud' incidents across the nation where individuals impersonate institutions such as the military and fire departments to request proxy purchases and then disappear.
According to the Gwangju Fire Safety Headquarters on the 24th, the day before, at a restaurant in Gwangju, someone impersonated the Gwangju Fire Safety Headquarters, pre-ordering 20 kg of eel related to fire training, and requested the proxy purchase of a first aid kit along with a forged official document.
The 20 kg order of eel received by the restaurant amounted to approximately 1,440,000 KRW.
Noticing something suspicious about the order, a restaurant representative contacted the North Gwangju Fire Department's Gunghuk 119 Safety Center to verify the facts, and it was confirmed that no actual financial damage occurred.
Just a few days prior, there was a similar incident in Ulsan. On the 21st, at a hardware store in Ulsan, an individual impersonated the 'Ulsan Fire Headquarters' to request a ladder purchase and also sought a proxy purchase of a first aid kit along with a forged official document.
The fraudulent party sent a text message disguised as an official document titled 'Goods Payment Guarantee Letter' to induce card payment. Fortunately, the hardware store representative acted quickly, preventing any actual damage and promptly reported the case to the police for investigation.
The Gwangju Fire Safety Headquarters communicated that similar fraudulent activities could occur in the local area and emphasized the need for heightened vigilance and awareness.
Kim Young-il, head of the Fire Prevention Division, stated, "Fire agencies do not request proxy purchases of goods from general private companies or issue purchase instructions via text messages," and urged that "any official document or transaction request with an unclear source must be verified with the respective institution. If similar cases are identified or if you receive suspicious inquiries, please report them immediately to the police or the fire department."
Image Source: Reference images for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank, News1 (Gwangju City Fire Safety Headquarters 119 Comprehensive Situation Room)
