Beware of 'Chuseok Smishing' Using Delivery, Holiday Greetings, and Gift Card Lures
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyo-jin] "Mom, this is Young-hee. I need to make an urgent online payment, but I lost my phone... Please make the payment once using your phone."
With the Chuseok holiday approaching, concerns are rising over smishing (SMS payment scams) that exploit urgent payment requests impersonating family members, delivery confirmation messages, and emergency disaster relief funds related to COVID-19.
According to financial authorities on the 1st, the Financial Services Commission has been posting webtoons on its Instagram and Facebook since the 29th of last month, providing guidance on preventing and responding to Chuseok smishing scams.
Most smishing scams involve impersonating children to request small online payments or membership verifications via text messages. During the Chuseok holiday, smishing scams that use delivery confirmation, holiday greetings, or mobile gift card offers as bait are expected to become particularly rampant, according to the financial authorities.
Smishing scams request personal and credit information such as copies of resident registration cards, credit card numbers, and passwords. They may also induce victims to install remote control applications (apps) for direct handling, claiming that payment or verification is not working properly.
A Financial Services Commission official urged, "Parents should always verify directly before responding, and children should inform their parents by phone in advance to prevent them from falling for smishing messages."
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The financial authorities are preparing public service campaign advertisements on terrestrial broadcasting and promotional videos on YouTube to prevent voice phishing starting this month. Additionally, the Financial Services Commission is working with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to promptly send disaster alert messages whenever new phishing techniques emerge.
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