신종피싱주의보…”주무관인데, 무전기 대리구매 하면 차액 줍니다”

Since the implementation of the new phishing prevention account freeze regime, roughly five thousand account temporary suspensions have occurred within a month. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Financial Services Committee reported on the 9th that 4,935 cases were reported as phishing during this period, constituting an enhanced customer verification category under the Specific Financial Information Act.

Of these, 3,750 were handled temporarily by financial companies before the freezing action was initiated. Subsequently, the FIU reviewed 1,065 cases of required freezing and notified financial companies. The remaining cases remain under temporary suspension by financial companies. The FIU began applying account freezes to phishing schemes not included in the "Electronic and Communication Financial Crime Prevention and Damage Compensation Special Act" on July 30, 2022.

The freeze applies to "any commodity or service transaction" until further review for up to 60 business days. The types of temporary measures include, in descending order: △romance scams (41%), △fraudulent purchase scams (37%), and △team mission scams (22%). The FIU warns of romantic scams that impersonate celebrities, professionals, special forces, and exploit trust built through online emotional bonding to demand payments for courier fees, air tickets, or medical bills.

A recent rise in "fraudulent purchase scams" involves posing as public officials or university contacts to request the purchase of specific items and subsequent payment to fake entities, with the goal of receiving the difference and illicitly receiving funds. The FIU advises verifying public officials' identities thoroughly, being highly vigilant of phone calls, and refusing any purchase requests via text.