A 20-year-old woman, who was trapped in a motel after falling victim to voice phishing, was rescued by the police.
The incident, which recently came to light, involved a woman in her twenties who was instructed by impersonators of prosecutors in a phone financial crime (voice phishing) scheme to lock herself in a motel, even doubting the police.
On the 11th, the Daejeon Eastern Police Station reported that a man visited the Yongjeon Police Station at 12:42 pm on the 2nd of last month, stating, "My girlfriend has been talking to someone claiming to be from the Financial Supervisory Service, police, and investigators since yesterday morning, and she has gone into a motel and won't come out," and sought police assistance.
Upon receiving the report, the police immediately rushed to the motel to assess the situation. It was revealed that the woman, identified as A, had been in contact with voice phishing criminals impersonating prosecutors from the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office since the day before the report, following their instructions diligently while even having received fake investigation documents.
The voice phishing criminals put psychological pressure on A by suggesting that her bank account had been discovered in a special fraud case that the prosecution was investigating. They instructed her to "go to a place where you can be alone and wait. If you do not comply with the instructions, you will be arrested immediately," thereby isolating her.
Completely "gaslighted" by the voice phishing criminals, A visited the motel alone around 3 PM on the 1st, maintaining constant communication with the scammers for about 20 hours.
What is even more serious is that A, following the criminals' instructions, purchased a smartphone air machine and even installed remote control applications, which led her to doubt the very police who had come to the scene.
After persistently persuading A to hand over her phone, the police confirmed that three malicious apps used in the crime were installed on her phone.
These apps are known to be used by voice phishing criminals to steal victims’ personal and financial information.
A police official stated, "The method of isolating victims in places such as motels and then using intimidation and gaslighting tactics to make them unable to think rationally is rampant. If individuals receive any contact from someone impersonating an investigative agency or anything that raises suspicion, they should hang up and either report it to the police or send documents to the 'Supreme Prosecutor's Office Genuine Center' to verify the facts," emphasizing the need for caution.
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