South Korean retail traders’ scam losses rose to $250 million amid market swing
While the number of cases has risen just 4.1% from the same period last year, data shows the amount of money involved is up 19.8%.
South Korean retail traders reportedly lost an estimated $250 million to fraud in the first half of 2026, according to police data. This figure represents a 19% increase compared to the same period last year. The surge in alleged losses comes as scammers took advantage of market volatility to defraud investors.
Police investigated 3,506 cases related to stock tip chatrooms, totaling 336 billion won ($246.57 million) during the January-June period. While the number of cases rose only 4.1% compared to the previous year, the amount of money involved increased by 19.8%.
South Korea's KOSPI (Korea Composite Stock Price Index) was the world's top-performing stock benchmark in the first half of 2026, but it experienced a significant drop, plummeting as much as 44% from its peak on June 19.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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