Around 12:16 PM on the 13th, in front of a commercial complex in Mok-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon City, Sergeant Lee Jin-woong from Daejeon Western Police Station witnessed a suspicious scene while waiting for food he ordered at a restaurant in the complex before going on vacation.
A young man who got out of a taxi was looking around and kept taking pictures of the complex and the apartment with his mobile phone before heading into the complex. Sergeant Lee, following the man, observed his behavior closely. The man seemed to be loitering as if waiting for someone and appeared anxious.
A moment later, a middle-aged man with a shopping bag in hand entered the apartment complex while talking on the phone. Soon, he handed the shopping bag to the young man waiting there.
Suspecting a voice phishing crime (telephone financial fraud), Sergeant Lee approached the two men, identified himself as a police officer, and questioned them about the situation. Inside the shopping bag were bundles of 50,000 won bills. However, the two men could not adequately explain their relationship or the reason for the exchange. Sergeant Lee’s suspicion solidified, and he reported to the police, saying, “I am apprehending a voice phishing cash mule.” He held onto the young man to prevent him from escaping.
After gathering some information, Sergeant Lee explained to the middle-aged man that he had been conned by a type of voice phishing scam known as “refinancing loan fraud.” However, the middle-aged man did not believe Sergeant Lee was a police officer since he was in plain clothes and instead suspected him.
Sergeant Lee then called a fellow detective from his station and connected him to the middle-aged man. After over 10 minutes of persuasion, the middle-aged man realized he was a victim of voice phishing and expressed gratitude to Sergeant Lee.
Meanwhile, police officers from Daejeon Central Police Station arrived, and Sergeant Lee handed over the young man. The shopping bag containing 17 million won was safely returned to the middle-aged man.
The police investigation revealed that Mr. A (in his 30s), the voice phishing money mule, claimed he was merely doing part-time work earning 50,000 won per job and was unaware it was a voice phishing crime. However, the police determined he was tasked with collecting cash for a voice phishing criminal organization and charged him with fraud, among other offenses. The investigation is continuing to identify those who directed him.
A police official stated, “Mr. A claimed he was unaware of his involvement in the crime, but he was aware that cash transactions were being conducted through abnormal procedures. High-paying part-time jobs or tasks involving cash and document delivery should always be approached with suspicion.”