"Dad, help me"... Even Former Bank Branch Managers Fall Victim to 'Messenger Phishing'

Messenger phishing message received by Mr. A, a former bank branch manager

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Ju Cheol-in] Even former bank branch managers have fallen victim to 'messenger phishing,' where scammers approach victims pretending to be family members via messenger, then obtain personal information and bank account details to steal money.

According to Masan Dongbu Police Station on the 31st, Mr. A (70), a former bank branch manager, received a text message on the 26th from an unknown number impersonating his son.

The person, Mr. B, who called Mr. A "Dad," claimed that his phone was broken and that he needed to receive related insurance money, requesting the installation of an app that allows remote control.

Using this app, Mr. B told Mr. A that he needed to receive insurance money related to the phone and asked for his resident registration number, bank account number, and password.

Since Mr. A frequently exchanged messages with his son, he provided all the personal information requested by Mr. B without suspicion. Mr. B reassured him by saying, "The insurance process is all done now."

It was only on the next day, the 27th, that Mr. A realized that about 12 million won had been withdrawn from his bank account and recognized that he had fallen victim to messenger phishing.

The phishing group, including Mr. B, extracted contacts registered on Mr. A's phone through the remote app and even sent similar text messages to Mr. A's acquaintances.

Mr. A said, "I suffered messenger phishing damage because I responded without suspicion to my son's contact asking for help. Although I feel ashamed that a former bank branch manager became a crime victim, I hope this method is widely publicized to prevent further damage."

The police received a damage report from Mr. A and have begun an investigation by securing related materials.

A police official advised, "If you receive a contact requesting personal information through a messenger, even if it is from someone you know, you must be very cautious. Confirm the identity of the other party clearly, and if you suspect a crime, report it to the police immediately."

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