South Korea: 5,580 illegal devices used to disguise overseas calls seized in fraud crackdown

South Korean authorities have dismantled a significant operation that disguised overseas calls as domestic '010' numbers, a tactic widely used for voice phishing and other scams. In a joint effort, the National Police Agency and KT, a major telecommunications provider, seized 5,580 illegal communication devices and arrested 84 individuals involved in setting up and managing these systems. The operation targeted organizations that used these devices to mask the origin of calls, making them appear as legitimate domestic communications.

The crackdown utilized artificial intelligence technology developed by KT. This AI was instrumental in analyzing and identifying suspicious call patterns before and after phishing attempts, enabling the police to conduct nationwide investigations. The illegal call centers identified in this operation numbered 115.

These disguised numbers are a crucial tool for overseas phishing gangs targeting South Korean victims. By displaying a local '010' number, scammers trick recipients into believing they are receiving calls from financial institutions or public agencies, leading to widespread fraud. While older methods often involved 'SIM boxes,' recent trends show an increasing use of regular mobile phones as relay devices.

Authorities report that the large-scale crackdown has already yielded tangible results in reducing fraud. Since the operation intensified in May, voice phishing incidents have decreased by 19% and purchase scams by 24% compared to the previous month. The National Police Agency has been collaborating with KT since January to operate a system that detects and blocks suspicious numbers using AI models.

"Voice phishing and new scam crimes are representative organized crimes that exploit communication networks," stated Oh Chang-bae, head of the National Police Agency's integrated response team for telecommunications and financial fraud. "The cooperation between the police and telecommunications companies plays a crucial role in preventing and apprehending criminals. We will strengthen our collaboration with telecommunications companies to quickly detect and crack down on illegal relay stations, doing our utmost to prevent damage to the public."

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Voice phishing and new scam crimes are representative organized crimes that exploit communication networks. The cooperation between the police and telecommunications companies plays a crucial role in preventing and apprehending criminals. We will strengthen our collaboration with telecommunications companies to quickly detect and crack down on illegal relay stations, doing our utmost to prevent damage to the public.