A courier for a voice phishing ring who got into a taxi carrying gold bullion was caught by police after the driver reported it.
The Seodaemun Police Station in Seoul said on the 20th that it booked a man in his 60s, identified as A, who worked as a courier for a voice phishing scheme. A is accused of receiving gold bars worth 100 million won from a voice phishing victim on the 20th of last month and attempting to pass them up the chain.
According to police, the victim received a voice phishing call saying, "If you invest, you can preserve the principal and also make a profit," and withdrew 108 million won over two days. The victim then exchanged the cash for 453 grams of gold bullion at a gold exchange in Gangnam District, Seoul, and handed it to A in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi.
A put the gold bullion in a paper bag and got into a taxi. A reportedly took out the gold bullion and muttered, "It doesn't look like it will be 100 million won."
Finding this suspicious, the taxi driver reported it to police, and responding officers, given a description, apprehended A in Seodaemun District, Seoul. The gold bullion was seized and returned to the victim.
Police are investigating A without detention. They are expanding the probe to the upper ranks of the voice phishing ring and plan to hand the case over to prosecutors soon.
Police paid a reward to the taxi driver who reported it. Under regulations on rewards for contributors to 112 reports, up to 300,000 won can be awarded when someone protects another person's property in emergencies such as various incidents and accidents.