Now it’s ‘psychological warfare’! Evolving voice phishing techniques

Voice phishing is evolving to become more creative, sophisticated, and sophisticated. In the face of advanced techniques, it is unclear how long voice phishing will remain just ‘someone else’s story’. We met with senior attorney Daeryun Osion, a law firm that has handled many voice phishing criminal cases, and heard about the latest methods and prevention and response measures.

At one time, the fixed repertoire of voice phishing was ‘Team Leader Kim Mi-young.’ Due to his slurred speech and sloppy recitation of a script, he became the subject of a joke or a ‘meme.’ However, recently, criminal organizations have not only refined their methods by using AI voice synthesis and deepfake technology, but are also avoiding the investigative network by putting pressure on victims through systematic organizational operations.

The scale of damage also grew like a snowball. According to the National Police Agency, the average amount of damage per case in the first half of this year amounts to a whopping 52.04 million won. It is an amount that can completely shake one's life in an instant. There are many victims who are driven to extreme choices. According to statistics, the amount of damage from voice phishing and smishing last year was KRW 952.5 billion, a 106% increase from the previous year, and this year, damage amounting to nearly KRW 800 billion occurred in the first half of the year alone. The number of cases has already exceeded 16,000.

Behind this, there was ‘mental pressure’ on the victims. The most powerful weapon of today's criminal organizations is sophisticated psychological warfare and fear-mongering that penetrates into victims' anxiety and guilt. They also encourage ‘self-imprisonment’ to prevent people from asking for help. Last September, there was a case where a man in his 20s living in Daegu was rescued while waiting in a Daejeon motel while writing a letter of remorse, believing the threats and instructions of a criminal impersonating a prosecutor.

# Are you relieved that you are young?
Half of the victims are in their 20s and 30s

In this way, today's voice phishing crime is evolving beyond telephone financial fraud into a 'gaslighting crime' that controls the victim's psychology. Attorney Osion of Daeryun Law Firm explained, “Voice phishing is difficult to understand if you look at it from a distance, but when you are in a real situation, you are under extreme psychological pressure and lose your cool-headed judgment.”

What types of crime are most common these days?The most common practice is the traditional method of impersonating the prosecution, police, financial supervisory service, or family members. It is becoming more sophisticated using AI voice synthesis and deepfake videos. Messenger phishing, which sends fraudulent links through KakaoTalk or text messages, and financial fraud using low-interest loans as bait are also constantly occurring. Because it is highly accessible and easy to let down your guard,

Why is damage increasing rapidly in people in their 20s and 30s?Young people who are familiar with digital fall into the illusion that ‘I will not be deceived.’ However, due to employment difficulties and economic pressure, they are easily exposed to the temptation of employment, loans, and financial benefits. In fact, there are many cases where they set up a fake company, recruit applicants through employment platforms, and then use young people as delivery vehicles or collectors.

Even though social awareness about voice phishing has increased, why is the actual damage soaring?First of all, economic difficulties can be cited as the reason. When an offer such as a low-interest loan comes in, your judgment becomes momentarily clouded. Here, the organization uses ‘gaslighting’ to isolate the victim. It creates fear by impersonating an authoritative organization and blocks external help by making people cut off contact with family and acquaintances. At the same time, they constantly make phone calls and send messages, putting psychological pressure on them and taking away the space to make their own decisions. The same goes for the recent ‘self-imprisonment’ in which victims cut off contact with the outside world and stay in lodging establishments.

Are there any cases where gaslighting led to not only financial loss but also physical and mental damage? Among the cases I actually worked on, a female client in her 20s was deceived into handing over not only personal information and money, but also a nude video of herself, saying she would be given a loan. After a long conversation with a member of the organization, I gave in to appeasement and threats and delivered the video. Afterwards, I was threatened with distribution and became completely subordinate to the organization. A Daepo bank account and SIM card were opened in the client's name, and he was eventually tried as the perpetrator.

# Voice phishing that anyone can fall victim to
What should you do first?

The biggest problem with voice phishing is that even if the suspect is arrested, he or she is often ‘another victim.’ They are used as holders of Daepo bankbooks and Daepo phones without their knowledge, or are implicated as delivery agents and collection agents. The court judges this to be ‘intentional negligence’ and imposes criminal punishment. Therefore, Attorney Oh explained, “The main role of a lawyer in a voice phishing case is to focus on proving that the client was also a victim of being deceived by the organization, rather than ‘recovering damages’ by recovering money.”

If you have actually been a victim of voice phishing, what should you do first?It is important to quickly apply for ‘account payment suspension’ to the financial institution. Afterwards, you must obtain as much evidence as possible, such as remittance details and call records, and report it to the police. Additionally, you must check whether a Daepo bank account or Daepo phone has been opened in your name, and whether a remote control app or malicious app has been installed on your phone.

I wonder what the chances are of recovering the damages or catching the culprit.There is hope if the payment is stopped immediately after the transfer and the money is not withdrawn, but in most cases, the money is stolen quickly and the recovery rate is low. Additionally, arrests are difficult as the organization operates based on overseas call centers. Even if you are arrested, it is not easy to recover from the damage. This is why establishing a legal basis to strengthen cooperation with foreign organizations such as China is most urgent. Organized crime is difficult to solve through individual efforts alone.

What is the ‘voice phishing no-fault liability system’ promoted by the government recently?This is a system where a victim reports damage to a financial company, and the financial company reviews the facts and provides compensation within the scope. However, even ‘no fault’ does not compensate for all damages. If the victim's gross negligence is recognized, he or she may be excluded from compensation. Nevertheless, once the system is implemented, the possibility of relief for victims will expand, and financial companies will also further strengthen their preventive responsibilities. Of course, there is a risk that as the costs borne by financial companies increase, the burden on financial consumers also increases.

Are there any signs of voice phishing crime that you should keep in mind in your daily life?Usually, they incite fear and create an emergency situation by mentioning full-scale fund investigation and temporary probation in the name of public institutions. They also say that an ‘embargo’ (strict confidentiality for a certain period of time) must be maintained or that quarantine is necessary for investigation. Afterwards, requests follow to install the app, provide personal information, withdraw cash, make a loan, and transfer to a safe account. You should know that no government agency will ever ask for personal information or money over the phone. Don't get caught up in what may seem like an emergency situation. Hang up for now and check again.

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Now it's 'psychological warfare'! Evolving Voice Phishing Techniques (Shortcut)