Two Arrested for Involvement in Voice Phishing Crime as 'Mobile Private Relay Device Managers'

Installation and Operation of Vehicle-Mounted Relay Devices Altering Overseas Calls to Domestic '010' Numbers

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] It has been revealed that portable private relay devices are being exploited for voice phishing crimes by manipulating phone numbers.

The Jeonnam Police Agency announced on the 3rd that they arrested three individuals, including A (41), who managed the relay devices installed in vehicles that manipulated phone numbers used in telephone financial fraud, roaming around areas such as Mokpo and other parts of Jeonnam. Two of them were sent to prosecution in custody.

Private relay devices are devices that, when a domestically issued USIM chip is inserted into a mobile phone terminal, make calls originating from overseas appear to the recipient as if they are coming from a domestic 010 phone number through that mobile phone.

During the investigation, the police seized 65 mobile phone terminals used in the crimes, 295 burner USIM chips, and 22 wireless routers.

It was also confirmed that they received an offer from a voice phishing organization stating, "If you move the vehicle to avoid police crackdowns and replace the USIM chip in the mobile phone terminal, we will pay 400,000 won per day." They installed the relay devices in vehicles and participated in the voice phishing crimes by moving the vehicles daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A Jeonnam police official said, "Even if the call appears to come from a '010' phone number, calls that induce transfers to safe accounts, direct delivery, or offer refinancing loans at low interest rates from financial institutions should be suspected as voice phishing crimes," and added, "Investigative agencies never ask for money, so caution is necessary to avoid becoming a victim."

The Jeonnam police will continue to carry out crime prevention activities such as cracking down on the opening and distribution of burner phones (USIM chips) used in voice phishing crimes and suspending the use of phone numbers.

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