Police chief urges public to remain cautious when approached online by unknown individuals requesting money
A man who helped police stop a romance scam targeting a taxi driver has been commended, the Daegu Seongseo Police Station said Monday.
The unnamed individual boarded a taxi in Daegu at around 10:25 p.m. on March 24 and grew suspicious after a brief conversation with the driver. Believing the driver was being scammed, the passenger reported the case to authorities, prompting police to contact the victim.
The driver initially refused to believe he was being deceived. An officer handling the case urged him to visit the station, even offering to pay 100,000 won ($67) out of his own pocket if the situation turned out not to be a scam.
The driver later told police he believed he was in a romantic relationship with a US soldier and had already wired 10 million won. Despite being informed that the company linked to the transaction did not exist and that its website was fake, he remained unconvinced.
Police contacted the victim again on March 26, when he was asked to send an additional 30 million won, and were finally able to persuade him.
The man who reported the case received a certificate of appreciation.
“A keen observation by a citizen and a prompt police response prevented significant financial damage,” Seongseo Police Chief Gweon Chang-hyeon said. He urged the public to remain cautious of romance scams, particularly when approached online by unknown individuals requesting money.
A similar case occurred in Daegu in February, when a bank employee stopped a customer from transferring 70 million won to someone impersonating a US military official. The transaction was later confirmed to be a scam, and the employee was recognized by local police last month.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
