How to Prevent KT Micropayment Fraud: "Beware of Compensation Scam Messages"

Korea Communications Commission Issues Guidelines and Urges Caution

Kim Youngseop, CEO of KT, is bowing his head in apology on the 11th at the KT Gwanghwamun Building West Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, regarding damages caused by micropayment issues. Photo by Yonhap News

On September 11, the Korea Communications Commission issued a statement regarding the KT micropayment incident, providing guidelines for users to prevent further damage and urging the public to exercise particular caution.

If you suspect you have been affected by an incident similar to the recent micropayment case, you should check your micropayment transaction history through your mobile carrier's customer service center (dial 114 for all three major carriers, or KT's 24-hour dedicated customer service center) or through the carrier-specific apps (T World, My KT, Your U+).

To prevent damage from micropayment services, you can reduce your mobile payment limit or block and unblock the micropayment service to proactively avoid potential losses. If you confirm that you have been affected, you should notify your mobile carrier or the payment agency, and if necessary, secure supporting documents such as transaction records and report the incident to your local police station.

In particular, users are advised to be vigilant, as there is a risk of malicious illegal spam messages being circulated under the pretense of cancellations, refunds, or compensation related to micropayment incidents.

The Korea Communications Commission warned the public to be wary of scam messages containing phrases such as "micropayment cancellation/refund" or "compensation for damages" that exploit public anxiety over the incident, as well as scams that induce users to install apps from unknown sources.

If you receive a suspicious message, you can verify its authenticity by launching the "Bohonara" channel on KakaoTalk and copying and pasting the message there.

The Korea Communications Commission stated, "We are closely monitoring for any additional or secondary damages resulting from this incident," and added, "We plan to swiftly implement further measures to protect users, including requesting mobile carriers to strengthen intelligent spam filtering using artificial intelligence (AI)."