Gangdong District Introduces "Mobile Public Official ID" Amid Surge in Public Official Impersonation Scams

On April 14, Gangdong District in Seoul (District Mayor Lee Soohee) announced that it has introduced a "Mobile Public Official ID" this month to prevent residents from falling victim to public service impersonation scams.

Recently, crimes involving impersonation of public officials have become increasingly sophisticated, with perpetrators stealing the affiliation and name of actual district office employees and utilizing fake business cards and forged official documents.

Public Service Impersonation Scam Awareness Flyer. Provided by Gangdong-gu.

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In response, Gangdong District has established a mobile public official ID system that allows residents to immediately verify the identity of staff in the field. When a public official presents their credentials onsite, residents can confirm the official’s identity through the authentication information and organizational chart (department affiliation) displayed on the mobile ID.

Along with the introduction of the mobile public official ID, the district has also distributed "Four Rules for Preventing Public Official Impersonation Scams." These include: directly checking the extension number on business cards through the district website or the mobile public official ID; contacting the relevant department directly about suspicious documents (not using phone numbers provided by potential scammers); refusing any request for advance payments immediately (as public institutions do not ask for proxy purchase prepayments); and reporting any incidents to 112 or the nearest police station without delay.

Lee Soohee, Mayor of Gangdong District, urged, "If you find yourself in a suspicious situation, stop any advance payment and always verify the facts through official channels to prevent falling victim to scams."

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