Daughter and Son Impersonation Variant Scam... Voice Phishing Prevention Methods to Be Released

Assemblywoman Yang Jeongsuk Proposes Amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act
Device Manufacturers Required to Distinguish International Calls
Telecom Companies Mandated to Inform Call Origin Country

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[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Mr. Kim Young-min (alias), in his 60s, recently received a call on his phone labeled as 'My Daughter' and, feeling reassured, answered the call only to fall victim to a scam. Because the name saved in the existing contacts appeared exactly on the device screen, he mistook the caller for his daughter and spoke without suspicion, which led to the fraud.

As voice phishing crimes that impersonate the names of family, relatives, and acquaintances have surged, Representative Yang Jeong-suk (Independent) of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee announced on the 1st that she has prepared an amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act to prevent this.

Until now, voice phishing methods have targeted calls, texts, and messengers, but recently the trend has shifted to manipulating caller ID through international calls. This method alters the phone number so that the names of family, relatives, or acquaintances appear on the smartphone device, making the victim mistakenly believe they are speaking with someone they know well. According to Representative Yang Jeong-suk's office, the number of wireless phone numbers exploited for voice phishing increased sharply from 240 cases in 2017 to 7,658 cases in 2021.

The caller number from any country is set by combining the international identification number, country code, and caller number, resulting in a number far exceeding 10 digits. When displayed on a smartphone, only the last 9 to 10 digits of the stored contact number and the incoming number are compared, so the contact name is shown exactly on the device.

According to the current Telecommunications Business Act, telecommunications service providers must inform users when a call is an international call. However, a loophole exists because smartphone manufacturers compare only the last 9 to 10 digits of the caller ID and display the stored contact name on the device.

Assemblywoman Yang Jeong-suk

The amendment includes provisions that manufacturers, importers, and sellers of mobile communication devices must display on the smartphone screen so that the recipient can distinguish international calls, and that corrective orders can be issued if regulations are not followed. It also includes a regulation requiring telecommunications service providers to inform users of the caller’s country.

Once the amendment is enforced, all smartphones are expected to display the caller’s number along with an 'International Call' notice. This will allow users to easily recognize the caller’s country, so even if the stored contact name appears, the recipient can readily identify the call as a voice phishing attempt.

Representative Yang said, "As voice phishing methods continue to evolve, it is necessary to regularly collect and analyze newly emerging scam types and proactively inform the public first. Telecommunications companies should provide sufficient guidance and information to users, promptly respond to requests from administrative agencies such as the police, and immediately suspend numbers used for voice phishing."

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