Incheon City Warns Public of Rise in Impersonation Scams

Incheon Metropolitan City is issuing a strong warning to its residents and businesses regarding a significant increase in scams where fraudsters impersonate public officials. These sophisticated schemes aim to defraud individuals and companies, often by demanding money for purported public procurement or service contracts.

According to the Incheon Urban Management Division, scammers are utilizing forged official documents, including counterfeit public seals, employee identification cards, and business cards that falsely bear the city’s name. They typically contact victims under the guise of an official request for goods procurement or equipment rental, then demand upfront payments or direct bank transfers for these services.

A crucial point to remember is that genuine public officials will never request cash or direct bank transfers for any official transaction. Furthermore, they do not use personal mobile numbers (such as the common ‘010’ prefix in South Korea) for official communications. Any request for payment or contact made via a personal mobile number should immediately raise suspicion.

To avoid becoming a victim, Incheon City advises the public to meticulously verify any suspicious requests. If you receive a document or phone call regarding goods purchase or services, always confirm its authenticity by directly contacting the relevant public institution through their official website’s organizational chart and listed contact numbers. Do not rely on any contact information provided by the suspected scammer.

Common patterns of these impersonation scams include:

• Requesting advance payment for goods preparation or construction equipment rental for a public institution.
• Demanding cash transfers for high-value item procurement, often by introducing a third-party vendor allegedly supplying at a lower price.
• Asking other companies to act as purchasing agents and then demanding transfers for those purchases.

If you suspect you have been targeted by such a scam or encounter a suspicious request, it is imperative to report it immediately. Please contact the police by dialing 112, South Korea’s emergency number for law enforcement.

Source: 인천광역시 — Original Notice (Korean)