Bank Customer Information Illegal Leak Incident, Former Bank Employee Arrested for Selling 220,000 Personal Data

Incheon Police Agency announced that they have arrested three individuals, including a former savings bank employee in his thirties (referred to as A), on charges of fraud and violations of the Personal Information Protection Act for selling customer personal information to illegal private finance brokerage firms.

A is accused of selling over 220,000 pieces of personal data of savings bank customers for 700 won per piece from July 2018 to March of this year.

B, a 30-year-old who is the head of the illegal private finance call center, along with his colleague C, approached victims using the secured personal data.

They swindled a total of 100 million won from 58 victims under the pretext of checking the eligibility for the low-income financial product 'Haesal Loan.'

However, checking eligibility for the Haesal Loan is a service that anyone can easily access for free through the application 'Itda,' provided by the Korea Financial Inclusion Agency.

Expansion of Investigation into Personal Information Leak Path and Additional Involvement

According to police investigations, it was revealed that A purchased client personal information from an active bank employee (referred to as D) for 300 won per piece during his tenure at the savings bank. Consequently, the police referred a total of nine individuals, including D and those who assisted B in his crimes, to prosecutors on charges of fraud and violations of the Moneylending Business Act without detention.

Additionally, the police took pre-indictment preservation measures for the criminal proceeds found in the call center office, amounting to over 50 million won in cash and foreign vehicles. This is a proactive measure to recover criminal proceeds, and it is highly likely that they will be confiscated based on future court rulings.

A police official stated, "We will continue to crack down on illegal private finance crimes targeting the underprivileged in these difficult economic times," and urged the public to be particularly cautious, saying, "If cash is demanded under the pretext of loan guarantees or fees, one could fall victim to fraud."

Image Source: Reference material for understanding the article / Photo = Insight, seized criminal proceeds / Provided by Incheon Police Agency.