Introduction
If you've just received a new phone number in Korea, don't be surprised if you start receiving random calls right away. Spam calls and phishing attempts are extremely common in Korea, making it one of the most prevalent types of fraud in the country.
Your new number may have been previously owned by several other people, as phone numbers in Korea are frequently recycled. This is especially true for prepaid SIM cards commonly used by foreigners, which draw from a limited pool of available numbers.
This high rate of phone-related fraud has led to Korea implementing some of the world's most stringent banking security measures. While these protective measures can sometimes make banking seem complicated, they're necessary safeguards against the persistent threat of phishing scams.
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Why Are Spam Calls So Common in Korea?
Spam calls have become a significant problem in South Korea for several reasons:
- High smartphone penetration: With one of the highest rates of smartphone usage in the world, Korea provides spammers with a large pool of potential targets.
- Cultural factors: Many Koreans are accustomed to receiving calls from unknown numbers, making them more likely to answer spam calls.
- Technological advancement: Ironically, Korea's advanced telecommunications infrastructure can be exploited by spammers to make mass calls easily and cheaply.
- Personal information leaks: Despite strict privacy laws, data breaches have occurred, giving spammers access to phone numbers and personal information.
Common Types of Phone Scams in Korea
Several types of phone scams are particularly prevalent in Korea:
- Voice Phishing (๋ณด์ด์คํผ์ฑ): Scammers impersonate government officials, police, or bank employees to extract personal information or money. These often originate from Chinese-speaking regions.
- Parcel Delivery Scams: Fraudsters pose as delivery services claiming issues with packages, often sending fake text messages with malicious links. Many of these originate from Southeast Asian countries.
- Bank Security Alert Scams: Callers claim there are security issues with bank accounts and request personal information or immediate transfers. These frequently come from organized crime groups in China.
- Loan Scams: Offering fake low-interest loans to extract application fees or personal information. These are often run by domestic criminal networks within Korea.
The majority of these scams originate from three main sources:
- China: The largest source of voice phishing operations, often running sophisticated operations with Korean-speaking staff
- Southeast Asia: Particularly the Philippines and Vietnam, where some criminal organizations set up call centers
- Domestic Korea: Local criminal networks that exploit the Korean banking and phone systems
Korean authorities work closely with international law enforcement to combat these operations, but the cross-border nature of these crimes makes them particularly challenging to address.
The Foreigner's Dilemma
For foreigners in Korea, spam calls present a unique challenge. Unlike locals who might more easily identify spam, foreigners face several issues:
- Language barrier: Many spam calls are in Korean, making it difficult for non-fluent speakers to distinguish between legitimate and spam calls.
- Important calls from unknown numbers: Foreigners often receive crucial calls from unknown numbers, such as from immigration offices or potential employers.
- Unfamiliarity with local practices: New arrivals may not be aware of common spam tactics used in Korea.
How to Prevent Spam Calls in Korea
Fortunately, there are several effective methods to reduce or eliminate spam calls:
Check Spam Call Database
Korea has a community-driven database where users can check and report spam numbers. The website allows you to verify if a number has been reported as spam by other users. The more reports a number has, the more likely it is to be spam.
- Numbers starting with 010: These are typically personal mobile numbers and are generally safe to answer.
- Other number prefixes: Exercise more caution with these numbers, especially those originating from overseas.
The higher the number of spam reports for a particular number, the more confident you can be in rejecting or ignoring calls from that source.
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1. Use Spam Blocking Apps
Several popular spam blocking apps in Korea can help protect you from unwanted calls. These apps connect to a shared spam call database and automatically filter out known spam numbers. They can either warn you about potential spam calls or automatically block them, depending on your settings.
Two highly recommended apps are:
- Whoscall (ํ์ค์ฝ): A comprehensive call blocking app that identifies unknown numbers and warns you about potential spam calls before you answer.
- The Call (๋์ฝ): Another popular option that provides real-time spam identification and blocking features.
These apps have significantly reduced spam calls for many users by automatically checking incoming calls against their spam databases. Instead of manually verifying numbers while your phone is ringing, the app does this work for you, making your phone experience much more peaceful.
2. Be Cautious with Personal Information
Be mindful of where you share your phone number. Avoid giving it out unnecessarily, especially on public websites or forms.
3. Use Your Phone's Built-in Features
Most smartphones have built-in features to block numbers or filter unknown callers. Explore your phone's settings to activate these features.
4. Learn Key Korean Phrases
Learn a few key Korean phrases to identify and respond to spam calls. For example, "์ ํ ๊ทธ๋งํด ์ฃผ์ธ์" (jeonhwa geumanhae juseyo) means "Please stop calling me."
What to Do If You Receive a Spam Call
- Don't engage with the caller or provide any personal information.
- Hang up immediately if you suspect it's a spam call.
- Block the number using your phone or a spam-blocking app.
- Report persistent spam callers to the Korea Communications Commission.
Conclusion
While spam calls can be a nuisance, especially for foreigners in Korea, there are effective ways to combat them. By using spam-blocking apps, being cautious with your personal information, and learning to identify potential spam calls, you can significantly reduce this annoyance. Remember, important calls from official sources like immigration offices will typically leave a message if you don't answer. Stay vigilant, but don't let the fear of missing important calls prevent you from protecting yourself against spam.
By taking these steps, you can enjoy your time in Korea with fewer interruptions and greater peace of mind. Happy spam-free living in Korea!
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About the Author
Kim Ninjaย (Huy-Kim Nguyen)
Cloud Engineer / WebApp Developerย ๐ป
Content Creatorย Bridging Korea ๐ฐ๐ท to the World ๐
Startup Founderย based in Seoul, South Korea ๐
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The blog published by Kim Ninja (Huy-Kim Nguyen) is available for informational purposes only and is not considered legal advice on any subject matter.
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