South Korean Woman Loses $14,000 to 'Team Mission Phishing' Scam

A sophisticated phishing scam targeting individuals seeking easy income has resulted in a significant financial loss for a South Korean woman. The victim, identified only as a woman in her 40s, reportedly lost around 18 million won (approximately $14,000) to a fraudulent scheme known as "team mission phishing."

The scam began when the victim received a call from someone claiming to be an employee of an advertising company, who enticed her with the promise of earning points redeemable for cash simply by watching advertisements on an app. Initially, the scam appeared legitimate, as the victim received small payments of 100,000 to 200,000 won after completing a few tasks.

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We will pay you money just by watching ads.

However, the fraudsters then pressured her to join a "team mission" to achieve higher profits, forming a five-person team. Unbeknownst to the victim, the other four members were part of the phishing operation. They convinced her that a certain amount of money needed to be deposited as a sign of trust within the team, leading to her substantial financial loss. Police are warning the public about this growing trend of "team mission phishing."

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To build trust among team members, you must deposit a certain amount of money.