Police said on the 26th that they will carry out a special crackdown on illegal acts timed to the payment of the "high oil price damage support fund." The first round of payments for the high oil price damage support fund begins on the 27th.
Police will focus on cracking down on the so-called "card kiting." This refers to "sham sales or services," in which the high oil price damage support fund is charged without a goods transaction and then returned in cash.
They will also crack down on "direct-transaction scams," in which fraudsters pretend to sell the high oil price damage support fund at a discount in the form of points or gift certificates and then disappear. Several scam transactions were uncovered in the past when consumer coupons and the like were distributed.
In addition, stores with annual sales exceeding 3 billion won that are ineligible to use the high oil price damage support fund will be subject to punishment if they process payments using another store's card terminal.
The National Investigation Bureau of the Korean National Police Agency plans to lead the investigation with anti-corruption and economic crime investigation units at each city and provincial police agency. They said they will respond proactively, including by seeking pre-indictment confiscation and collection preservation of criminal revenue.
The first round of recipients for the high oil price damage support fund includes basic livelihood security beneficiaries, the near-poor, and single-parent families. The application period is two weeks until May 8. In the first week, an odd-even system will be implemented based on the last digit of the birth year. On Monday the 27th, those whose birth years end in 2 and 7 can apply.