Types of employment scam

Offers of "easy money" are dangerous without exception.

The typical tactics

1. Upfront payment demands — "money is needed to secure the position", "pay a deposit". Legitimate employment never involves upfront payment.
2. Requests to lend your bankbook, card or ID — you become an accomplice in voice phishing crime. Never agree. See voice-phishing.
3. "Simple work, high pay" — frequently drug transport, account fraud or prostitution brokering.
4. Demands to hand over your passport — the beginning of forced labour. See passport-confiscation.
5. "We'll sort the visa too" — false documents. See study-abroad-agent-scam.
6. Verbal promises with no contract — you go unpaid later.
7. "Receive a parcel for me" — you become a mule for smuggling or fraud goods.

How to tell

• Legitimate vacancies go through Work24 (work24.go.kr) or formal recruitment notices. See worknet-job-search.
• Check there is a business registration number and company address.
• Check they provide a written employment contract.
• If they ask for upfront payment, a deposit or your bankbook, refuse on the spot.
• Be suspicious of terms that are too good.

If you have already been caught

1. Report to 112 and use the police cyber crime site (ecrm.police.go.kr).
2. Keep all transfer records, messages and contact details.
3. If you lent your bankbook, ask the bank to suspend the account immediately and report to the police. Delay makes it worse.
4. Consult 1350 and 1577-0071 to sort out any wage issues too.

Where to go

• 112 fraud reports · ecrm.police.go.kr
• 1332 Financial Supervisory Service (illegal finance, bank accounts)
• 1350 Ministry of Employment and Labour (wages)
• 1577-0071 Foreign Workforce Support Centre
• 1345 residence status

Questions people ask

I trusted them because they're from my country. Scams exploiting shared nationality are the most common of all. Judge by the terms and the paperwork, not the relationship.

What happens now that I lent my bankbook? The account can be frozen and you may face criminal investigation. Tell the bank and 112 immediately, and keep evidence (message records) that you were deceived.

I've already sent money. Contact 112 and your bank immediately. Quick action sometimes allows a payment suspension.

Will reporting affect my residence status? Don't decide alone — consult 1577-0071 or a support organisation first. There are protections available to you as a victim.

Take care

"Just lend me your bankbook and I'll pay you" is 100% criminal. You, as the account holder, are punished, the account is frozen, and your residence status is affected. However desperate you are, never agree.

Related

recruitment-fee-ban · voice-phishing · online-scam · study-abroad-agent-scam · worknet-job-search

Source

Ministry of Employment and Labour www.moel.go.kr / As of 2026-08