"High-paying part-time jobs overseas. Yes, it's illegal work. All you need is the desire to make money."

This is the content of an advertisement posted on an overseas job search website on July 21. A voice phishing organization based in Vietnam lured applicants with promises of high earnings, claiming, "On average, you can make 20 million won per month, and up to 60 million won if you do well." They also stated, "If you follow the manual, your safety is guaranteed 10,000%."

As the scale of voice phishing crimes grows, posts recruiting employees under the guise of high-paying part-time jobs are appearing in large numbers. There are concerns that young people, exhausted by the difficult job market, could easily fall for such temptations.

Providing accommodations in China and Thailand
Average monthly income of 20 million KRW
Up to 60 million KRW for top performers
Lured by high-profit bait

As the crime scale grows
Workforce recruitment leads to 'welfare competition'
"Single-room hotel living
Condo after 3 months of work"

Mostly young people involved
Recognized as implied intent
Difficult to get relief even after arrest and claims of employment fraud

Photo by Getty Images Bank

Searching for terms like "high-paying part-time jobs overseas" or "overseas telemarketing (TM)" on portal sites reveals countless job postings. On a job board for a Japanese community alone, hundreds of such ads have been posted just this month. Most of these promise high monthly earnings of over 10 million won, with accommodations provided in countries such as China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia.

A significant number of these job postings are actually recruitment ads for voice phishing organizations. Person A, a team leader for a voice phishing group based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, said via Telegram, "You'll be doing the kinds of things you see on the news." When asked if it was voice phishing work, he replied, "Yes." Recruiter B, who works for an organization based in Thailand, said, "All you need is the desire to make a lot of money," and added, "Come with the mindset that you'll work during the day and enjoy your free time at night, like a working holiday."

According to the National Police Agency, last year the total financial damage from voice phishing was 854.5 billion won, a 91% increase from the previous year (447.2 billion won), marking an all-time high. The number of cases also rose from 18,902 to 20,839 during the same period. As the scale of voice phishing grows, organizations are even competing to offer better "welfare benefits" to secure manpower. A representative from a voice phishing group said, "You can live in a single hotel room, and if you work for more than three months, you'll be provided with a condo."

A recruitment notice for voice phishing gang members posted on an online community. Online community

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Most people who join voice phishing organizations through "high-paying overseas part-time job" ads are young adults. In fact, in a recent case handled by the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office Government Joint Investigation Team for Voice Phishing Crimes, all 11 members of the "Romance Team" at the "Hanya" call center in Cambodia were in their 20s and 30s.

The problem is that in voice phishing organizations, which operate under a system of division of labor and anonymity, young recruits are often used as "cut-off tails"?meaning they are easily abandoned and have a high chance of being caught. Even if they claim to have been deceived by a job scam after being arrested, it is difficult for them to receive any relief. A prosecution official explained, "These days, many voice phishing organizations openly disclose that the job is voice phishing at the recruitment stage in order to select so-called 'loyal personnel.'"

Lim Juntae, professor of Police Administration at Dongguk University, emphasized, "It is urgent for the government to improve regulations and establish a constant monitoring system for indiscriminate part-time job and recruitment ads posted on portal sites and overseas job boards." He added, "Young people who are tempted by high earnings and participate in these crimes can be recognized as having 'willful negligence,' so the level of punishment is by no means light. Extra caution is needed."