The Broadcasting Media Communication Review Committee (BMCRC) and the National Police Agency have blocked 179 illegal scam websites that lured victims with promises of investment advice, side jobs, and romantic encounters, resulting in losses exceeding 19 billion won (about $150 million).
During a meeting on August 10, the BMCRC's Communication Review Subcommittee approved measures to terminate services and block access to these scam sites, following a request from the National Police Agency's Integrated Response Team for Telecommunications Financial Fraud.
According to police investigations, these websites have caused an estimated total loss of over 19 billion won through various scams, including investment leading, team missions, and romance fraud.
Investment leading scam sites were designed to resemble legitimate financial investment platforms. They used phrases like 'Global Leader Digital Asset Exchange' and 'New Standards in Cryptocurrency Asset Management,' posting financial product price information and promising high returns to entice users to invest.
Team mission scams disguised themselves as regular shopping malls selling household goods and electronics. They deceived users into believing they could earn high profits by completing side jobs or purchasing missions, ultimately swindling their money.
Romance fraud websites used the lure of conditional dating or romantic relationships to encourage users to sign up and make payments. They presented themselves as 'real dating platforms for lonely men and women' or 'meeting platforms for women,' collecting payments before disappearing.
Previously, on July 21, the BMCRC and the National Police Agency shared information on the status of new scam sites and discussed joint measures to prevent damage from the spread of scam information. This latest action aims to strengthen cooperation against illegal scam sites.
Lee Yong-bae, head of the BMCRC's Communication Review Division, stated, "Scam sites create numerous victims and cause significant financial harm, constituting a crime that infringes on public welfare. We will work closely with the National Police Agency to swiftly block illegal scam sites."
Oh Chang-bae, head of the National Police Agency's Integrated Response Team for Telecommunications Financial Fraud, remarked, "We have been continuously detecting illegal scam sites, including investment leading scams, romance scams, and team mission fraud, in collaboration with relevant agencies such as the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) and telecommunications companies. We will do our utmost to prevent public harm through rapid detection and review coordination."
Meanwhile, the total losses from new scams, including investment leading scams, romance scams, team mission fraud, and no-show scams, reached 293.8 billion won in the first quarter of this year, a decrease of 11.7% compared to the previous quarter.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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