Voice Phishing Scammers Impersonate Firefighters to Coerce Equipment Purchases

Voice phishing scams in Ulsan, where fraudsters impersonate fire officers to coerce merchants into buying equipment by claiming they will face fines if they don't, have nearly doubled compared to last year. The scammers are threatening victims with false claims that fire-related laws changed in April, exploiting public trust in government institutions to extract money.

As criminal methods become more advanced, combining forged official documents with AI technology, perpetrators are moving beyond simple phone calls to use fake business cards and forged documents as tools of crime. Recently, there have been attempts to gain victims' trust by presenting AI-generated firefighter identification cards that look virtually identical to the real thing.

Mr. Seo, a building owner in Ulsan, failed to suspect the scam for some time because the perpetrator approached him with accurate knowledge of his building's location, the names of stores on each floor, and his personal contact details. The scammer, posing as an employee of the Ulsan Fire Headquarters, demanded a bank transfer from Mr. Seo, causing financial damage that exceeded 10 million won.

A total of 22 attempts at impersonating fire agencies have been tallied in Ulsan this year. Including cases from last year to this year that resulted in actual financial loss, there have been five incidents totaling 180 million won in damages.

Lee Ho-hyeong, a fire lieutenant with the Prevention Division at the Ulsan Fire Headquarters, stated that fire agencies never request private companies to purchase equipment on their behalf nor demand advance payments to specific companies. He explained that fire departments typically deliver recommendations in person during site visits and do not urge bank transfers.

Fire authorities and police urged citizens to immediately verify the facts with the relevant institution and report suspicious contacts to 112 if they receive any communication that raises even the slightest suspicion.