Police urged caution as phishing crimes exploiting the National Information Resources Service fire incident have emerged.
The Korean National Police Agency said on the 2nd, "If a text message guiding you to an alternative site or to reinstall an app includes a URL (internet address) or link, do not click it under any circumstances and report it."
According to a case made public by police, a scammer called a person surnamed A, who had a history of purchasing items from an online shopping mall, and sent a fake site link under the pretext of guiding a refund. A accessed the link, entered personal information to input refund details, and pressed the "Apply for refund" button. An image then appeared saying, "Service has been suspended due to a National Information Resources fire."
Claiming it was an app used during service suspension, the scammer sent a malicious app file and tried to induce installation. Fortunately, A sensed something was suspicious and reported it to police, so there was no damage.
Police said they will block the relevant URL immediately through the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) once it is confirmed and will deploy a dedicated investigation team to actively investigate if criminal damage occurs.
The Korean National Police Agency said, "The government does not send text messages to the public that contain URLs or links."
The Korean National Police Agency also disclosed expected methods of voice phishing and smishing crimes.
First, a voice phishing scenario was presented in which scammers deceive victims into thinking financial information was leaked due to this fire, induce contact with a fake customer center, then trick them into believing they are involved in a crime and extort money. There is also a smishing method, as in this case, where text messages are sent under the guise of guiding app reinstallation or an alternative site to steal personal information and money.
To prevent damage, the Korean National Police Agency urged the public to access only alternative sites verified on websites providing administrative services, major portal sites, and government notice pages. In particular, when making payments that require money transfers—such as traffic fines, health insurance premiums, or national taxes—people should double-check whether there is any possibility the process could be exploited for crime.
It also advised installing apps on smartphones only through official app markets and deleting apps of unclear origin.