Very few cases… Voice phishing exposure and virtual currency investment should be noted
Cryptocurrency Ethereum (ETH). Pixar Bay
There was a case where a victim of voice phishing (telecommunications financial fraud) received 9 times the amount of damage after 2 years.
According to the virtual currency exchange Upbit on the 13th, Mr. A extorted 190 million won from victim B through voice phishing in November 2018 and invested 30 million won in Ethereum (ETH) in virtual currency at Upbit. Then, Upbit, who discovered something suspicious during the deposit and withdrawal process, reported to the bank as a suspected case of fraud, and immediately blocked the deposit and withdrawal of Mr. A’s account.
After that, Upbit returned the Ethereum remaining in Mr. A’s account to Mr. B this month after two years and four months through cooperation with the investigative agency. Meanwhile, as the price of cryptocurrency such as bitcoin soared, Mr. B received a refund of 270 million won in won.
The remainder of the damage amount, 160 million won, was invested in virtual currency through other exchanges and was not returned, but this alone exceeded the total amount of damage.
Ethereum price graph since November 2018. Upbit offer
Mr. B, who was desperate due to fraud, was able to laugh as a result because the price of Ethereum soared sharply over the past two years. According to Upbit, the price of Ethereum at the closing price (9:00 am) rose 700% from 224,000 won per piece on November 1, 2018 to 1787,000 won on March 1, 2018.
However, as these cases are only a few, it is important to be familiar with the tips for preventing fraud and be aware of the large volatility when investing in cryptocurrency. Upbit said, “The most important thing is to eradicate voice phishing crimes so that no one is harmed.”
To prevent voice phishing, it’s best to be suspicious of unknown phone numbers or Internet addresses (URLs) in text messages. Also, if you are asked to install an application (app) of unknown origin on your smartphone, you should never respond. This is because the account number or personal information may be leaked in the case of a malicious voice phishing app. Even if you have installed the app, you should never enter your password.
If you have already sent money to the account guided by the voice phishing organization, you should immediately contact the bank customer center, the police (☎182), or the Financial Supervisory Service (☎1332) to request suspension of the account payment.
Reporter Eun Na-ri Jung [email protected]
[ⓒ 세계일보 & Segye.com, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]