'Fake News Link on "President Attack" Redirected to Gambling Site... Police Arrest 4 Members of the Group'

Sent 630,000 Fake News Messages to Induce Access
Extracted 2.6 Billion Won from 62 People

Crime overview diagram of fraudulent gambling site operation using fake news. / Provided by the National Police Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] A group that sent fake news text messages about the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), induced people to join fraudulent gambling sites, and illegally gained billions of won has been arrested by the police.

The Cyber Safety Bureau of the National Police Agency announced on the 22nd that two members of the fraudulent gambling site operation organization, A (33) and another, were detained on charges including fraud and violation of the Telecommunications Business Act, while two others, B (23) and site creator C (55), were booked without detention. It was confirmed that B is currently serving as an active-duty soldier, and the case was transferred to the military prosecution.

According to the police, they are suspected of operating a fraudulent gambling site from December last year to February this year, embezzling 2.6 billion won from 62 victims.

Police investigations revealed that they set up an office in Manila, Philippines, and sent 630,000 text messages containing sensational fake news such as COVID-19 confirmed cases, an assassination attempt on the president, and a volcanic eruption of Baekdu Mountain, along with the URL of the gambling site they operated, to unspecified recipients to induce access.

Clicking the URL led to a screen directing users to a KakaoTalk channel, where the organization members guided visitors to the gambling site through one-on-one conversations. This was all a method to evade tracking.

Victims who accessed the gambling site were told, "We guarantee a high winning rate," and were induced to deposit gambling funds under the pretext of investment money. When victims requested to withdraw their principal and profits, they were instead asked to make additional deposits as fees. The site was a facade to steal victims' money. One victim deposited 260 million won over two weeks.

During police investigations, the suspects reportedly stated that as operating gambling sites in the traditional way became difficult due to COVID-19, they committed fraud crimes using gambling sites.

To prevent further damage, the police deleted and blocked 167 fraudulent gambling-related sites established by the suspects and seized 80 million won in cash hidden in their residences. They also began tracking funds, including virtual currencies, to confiscate all criminal proceeds.

Crimes involving illegal gambling site operations have been increasing significantly every year. From January to April this year, 931 people were arrested, a 19.1% increase compared to the same period last year. The police urged the public to be especially cautious about clicking URLs in text messages from unknown senders and to be vigilant against the spread of fake news through the retransmission of suspicious messages promising high returns, guaranteed principal, or investment information.

A police official stated, "We will respond more strictly to fake news and expand investigations using all available resources, including international cooperation, to arrest all suspects involved in fraudulent gambling crimes committed overseas."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.