Types of scam

"Right now", "keep it secret", "send money" — those three together mean a scam.

Common types

1. Impersonating authorities — posing as prosecutors, police, immigration or the financial regulator, claiming "your account is linked to a crime" and demanding money.
2. Loan fraud — promising a low-interest loan and taking a "fee" or "deposit" first.
3. Visa fraud — demanding money to "get you a visa" or "make you legal".
4. Job fraud — demanding introduction fees or deposits. See job-scam.
5. Second-hand trading fraud — taking payment and never sending the goods.
6. Romance scams — building intimacy online, then asking for money.
7. Currency exchange fraud — approaching you with "better than market" rates.
8. Investment fraud — "guaranteed capital, high returns" is a lie.

Shared warning signs

• Contact only by phone or messenger, never in person.
• Pressure to decide immediately.
• Telling you not to tell anyone.
• Asking for personal details, account numbers, photos of your ID.
• Demanding payment up front.

What to do

1. Hang up.
2. Verify using official numbers (immigration 1345, financial 1332, police 112).
3. Never transfer money.
4. If you already have, call 112 and your bank immediately and ask for a payment stop.
5. Keep the evidence — chats, account numbers, call logs.

Where to go

• 112 police
• 1332 Financial Supervisory Service (financial fraud)
• 1345 to verify immigration matters
• 118 personal data breach reports
• ecrm.police.go.kr cybercrime reporting

Questions people ask

Do government bodies ask for money by phone? Never. Prosecutors, police and immigration do not ask for transfers over the phone.

They say my account is linked to a crime. That is a classic scam. Hang up and check with 112.

I've already sent money. Call 112 and your bank at once and ask for a payment stop. The sooner you act, the better the chance of recovery.

Someone asked to borrow my bank account. Never do it. If a lent account is used for crime, you can be prosecuted.

Take care

Second scams promising to "recover your money" are common. Be especially wary of anyone contacting you after you have been defrauded. Never send photographs of your passport or residence card to anyone — they are used for identity theft.

Related

voice-phishing · online-scam · personal-info-protection · job-scam · crime-victim-support

Source

Financial Supervisory Service, Voice Phishing Guard www.fss.or.kr / As of 2026-08